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US provides Pak with missiles before Bush visit
Hindustan Times ^ | March 1, 2006|19:30 IST

Posted on 03/01/2006 6:57:02 AM PST by Gengis Khan

The US has provided Pakistan Air Force (PAF) with AGM-154 'Beyond Visual Range (BVR)' stand-off missiles, ostensibly to target terrorist hideouts.

While state-run news agency said Pakistan has attained another landmark in modern missile technology by producing a joint standoff weapon system capable of hitting "over-the-horizon" targets with accuracy, 'Pakistan Observer' newspaper said the AGM-154 system was provided by US ahead of President George W Bush's visit to the country.

According to the daily, the announcement of Pakistan acquiring the BVR missile system came at the Corps Commanders meeting presided over President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday.

The system uses technologies called 'Integrated Global Positioning System' and Inner-shell Management System Navigation and could engage targets 70 km away.

This apparently is the first BVR missiles the PAF has acquired that could be fired from a distance without coming into visual contact with the enemy.

It could be fired from fighter jets fitted with sensors.

The missile was provided by US reportedly to stem criticism arising out of its spy planes firing similar missiles at a village in Bajore tribal agency last month to target Al-Qaeda second in command Ayaman al-Zawahiri killing upto 18 civilians.

As part of equipping Pakistan with military hardware to fight terrorists, US has granted approval to sell latest models of F-16s and supplied a fleet of helicopters, transport and sea surveillance planes.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bush; defense; india; pakistan; terrorism; terrorists; waronterror; wot
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1 posted on 03/01/2006 6:57:05 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: sukhoi-30mki; Cronos; CarrotAndStick; razoroccam; Arjun; samsonite; Bombay Bloke; mindfever; ...

Ping!


2 posted on 03/01/2006 6:58:19 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan

Hahaha I dont think these missiles will be targeting any terrorists.

Mushy's going to save em up, like he hoardes every other scrap of hardware the US throws his way now and again.

Hes probably going to trumpet these few missiles as a triumph of foreign policy.


3 posted on 03/01/2006 7:15:06 AM PST by ketelone
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To: Gengis Khan

AGM's are guided missiles (air-to-air), right? Are the hideouts now airborne?


4 posted on 03/01/2006 7:18:26 AM PST by printhead
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To: Gengis Khan

Well, CLINTON armed our ENEMIES, I guess it's time we fully armed our ALLIES.


5 posted on 03/01/2006 7:23:48 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (and miles to go before I sleep.)
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To: printhead

No, theyre Air to Ground missiles.


6 posted on 03/01/2006 7:25:00 AM PST by ketelone
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To: printhead

Raytheon [Texas Instruments] for the Air Force and the Navy. The AGM-154A (Formerly Advanced Interdiction Weapon System) is intended to provide a low cost, highly lethal glide weapon with a standoff capability. JSOW family of kinematically efficient, air-to-surface glide weapons, in the 1,000-lb class, provides standoff capabilities from 15 nautical miles (low altitude launch) to 40 nautical miles (high altitude launch). The JSOW will be used against a variety of land and sea targets and will operate from ranges outside enemy point defenses. The JSOW is a launch and leave weapon that employs a tightly coupled Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS), and is capable of day/night and adverse weather operations. The JSOW uses inertial and global positioning system for midcourse navigation and imaging infra-red and datalink for terminal homing.


7 posted on 03/01/2006 7:25:44 AM PST by LLoyd George (more speculation games - cosmology style)
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To: UCANSEE2

Allies like Pakistan?


8 posted on 03/01/2006 7:26:09 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: printhead
AGM 154s are iron bombs with wings for gliding. They can glide much farther than previous generation of guided munitions such as Pave Tack and JDAM. Almost an unpowered cruise missile.


9 posted on 03/01/2006 7:26:27 AM PST by Yo-Yo (USAF, TAC, 12th AF, 366 TFW, 366 MG, 366 CRS, Mtn Home AFB, 1978-81)
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To: printhead

AGM = Air to Ground Missile.
AIM = Air Intercept Missile

The AGM-154 is the Joint Standoff Weapon, or JSOW. It's a low cost glide "bomb" with a GPS guidance system or IR seeker head. Once it gets to its target, the payload bay pops open and 145 BLU-97/B submunitions pop out. Per Wikipedia, "The bomblets have a shaped charge for armor defeating capability, a fragmenting case for materiel destruction, and a zirconium ring for incendiary effects."

It can also carry a bunker penetrator system (BROACH), but the maximum range is only about 65 miles with a high-altitude launch. The more typical low-altitude launch is only about 15 miles. It's a pretty devastating weapon, but a cruise missile it's not, and you can't put a nuke on it.


10 posted on 03/01/2006 7:27:03 AM PST by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: printhead

Why Pakistan is getting F-16s, Awacs, Phalanx, P3Cs, Frigates and weapon locating radars to take out all the terrorist hideouts right? Thats what we are told.


11 posted on 03/01/2006 7:29:57 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan
Why Pakistan is getting F-16s, Awacs, Phalanx, P3Cs, Frigates and weapon locating radars to take out all the terrorist hideouts right? Thats what we are told.

Rhetorical question, right? If these weapons are ever used, they'll be used against India, as US-supplied weapons have been in every India-Pakistan conflict. With all the talk about out-sourcing, weapons proliferation, and the popularity of the US in India, it's important to note that most of the arms used against India in it's history have been supplied by the US. Indians have a right to be suspicious about US arms deals with Pakistan, as the US would be if India had a history of supplying arms to people shooting at American soldiers.
12 posted on 03/01/2006 7:50:51 AM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: AnotherUnixGeek; sukhoi-30mki; Cronos; CarrotAndStick; razoroccam; Arjun; samsonite; ...

I agree...100%.
And Indians have a right to know from President Bush as to why is he still arming Pakistan with weaponry that will most certainly be used against India. I would appreciate if President Bush can give us an honest answer.


The Free Republic India and Indo-US Issues Ping List!

(Freepmail me if you want on/off. )


13 posted on 03/01/2006 8:09:06 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

Agreed.


14 posted on 03/01/2006 8:10:22 AM PST by ARridgerunner
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: watakushi

They why does US need India's alliance?


16 posted on 03/01/2006 8:24:16 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: Gengis Khan

Primarily to counter the Chinese.


18 posted on 03/01/2006 8:50:23 AM PST by BradtotheBone
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To: Gengis Khan

I would prefer that any systems sold to Pakistan be
those for use against terrorists, not India.

Long term, India and Pakistan need to learn to get along.


19 posted on 03/01/2006 12:00:21 PM PST by rahbert
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To: rahbert

"Long term, India and Pakistan need to learn to get along."

Thats like asking Iran and Israel to learn to get along.


20 posted on 03/01/2006 12:08:10 PM PST by Gengis Khan
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