WASHINGTON, Nov 17: The Pentagon notified Congress on Tuesday about three proposed arms deals with Pakistan, a key ally in the US-led war on terror, including the sale of eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft valued at up to $970 million.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which handles foreign arms sales for the Pentagon, said it also planned to sell Pakistan 2,000 TOW-2A missiles and 14 TOW-2A Fly-to-Buy missiles in a deal valued at $82 million.
Pakistan had also requested the sale of six PHALANX rapid-fire 20-millimetre guns for Pakistan surface ships, and the upgrade of six additional gun systems, a contract worth up to $155 million, the agency said.
Lawmakers now have 30 days to block the proposed arms sales, but defence officials and congressional sources said that was considered extremely unlikely. The Pentagon said the proposed arms agreements would help "improve the security of a friendly country that has been and continues to be an important force for economic progress in South Asia and the global war on terrorism."
It said the P-3C aircraft, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., would improve Pakistan's ability to restrict the movement of militants along its western border, in particular, and improve border security everywhere.
The Raytheon Co. TOW missiles had recently been employed in the tribal areas of Pakistan, giving the Pakistani government new tools in its fight to combat terrorism, DSCA said. -Reuters
