IDEX 2017: PAKISTAN WILL BEGIN RECEIVING AH-1Z VIPERS IN 2017

At the 2017 International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX), Bell Helicopters announced that the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps (PAA) will begin receiving its AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters in 2017.

As per aviation journalist Alan Warnes, an initial batch of three helicopters will be delivered in 2017, while the next nine are scheduled for 2018.

The U.S. approved the sale of 15 AH-1Z to Pakistan in April 2015. Under the US $952 million contract, the Pakistan Army was to receive the aircraft with a training, logistics and maintenance support package as well as 1,000 AGM-114R Hellfire II laser-guided air-to-surface missiles.

Pakistan began ordering its AH-1Z in August 2015 (with an initial order of two or three), with another nine ordered in April 2016. Considering that the approved sales agreement did not outline options, it is possible – if not likely – that Pakistan will order the remaining three in a later tranche.

Pakistan’s AH-1Zs will be equipped with Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight System (TSS) electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) pods, Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted display (HMD) systems, Orbital ATK AN/AAR-47 missile warning systems (MAWS), BAE AN/ALE-47 airborne countermeasures dispenser suites, Northrop AN/APR-39C(v2) radar warning receivers (RWR), and General Dynamics M-197 20mm cannons.

As part of its attack helicopter fleet modernization plans, the Pakistan Army is also procuring four Mil Mi-35M assault helicopters from Russia. These helicopters are expected to be delivered in 2017, and the PAA may procure an additional 16 over the long-term.

The PAA is also examining the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) T-129 and Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) Z-10, one of which may be selected to compliment the AH-1Z.

Source : http://quwa.org/2017/02/20/idex-2017-pakistan-will-begin-receiving-ah-1z-vipers-2017/

 

Then our Baloch friends better start receiving Stingers as well.

 

The ones that they are going to assume fighting already have

 

They forgot to mention that a significant chunk of this deal value (worth around $170mn) is being paid for by the US Navy...rest of the total $950mn probably comes from other aid programs.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1250108

I'm surprised there's no one within the US media/internet corps who's smart enough to ask why the American taxpayer is financing the defense budget of the country that shielded the killer of 3,000+ Americans?

On the other hand...Pak's helicopter procurement plans have gone crazy. I doubt anyone has any control over what's going on anymore...AFAIK, all that Pak military/established actually wanted to get was the Mi-35 (might even be second-hand airframes refurbished & transferred off VVS stocks) to provide an effective anti-infantry/fortification chopper that can be used with little care in KPK/FATA ops against the TTP/AQ freedom fighters.

Meanwhile, the AH-1Z and WZ-10 are being forced down the PA's throat by the US & China respectively. The former because it needs to keep it's MIC running and is therefore ready to pay for the expenses themselves, and the latter because why not? It's not like CPC wants to have the glory of having exported it's premier Kamov-designed attack helicopter and the Pakistani slave would say no!

The PA will end up paying a heavy price in the long run. They will have too many types of helicopters that can all basically do the same roles...and all from different suppliers with incompatible equipment & weapons. So little to no commonality either in logistics, maintenance or crew training. Heavy expenses which the GoP obviously won't be able to fund (and would therefore add to the debt to CPC).

Even India will have only 2 types of attack helos (one light & one heavy) in the future...but our Pakistani brethren won't rest until they have 3 or even 4 types of attack helos (2 light/medium, 2 heavy)....and unfortunately, all in very small numbers each so even the economy of scale argument cannot come in (unlike in India's case where we are procuring large quantity of 2 types of helos in different classes).

Well, they can run themselves into an oak tree for all I care.

 

They forgot to mention that a significant chunk of this deal value (worth around $170mn) is being paid for by the US Navy...rest of the total $950mn probably comes from other aid programs.

I don't see how that makes any difference? They are under huge debt and they don't care! All they care about is gaining strategic advantage over India in terms of military prowess!
I really wonder why US continues to pour money into Pakistan. I think India is in a position to dictate some terms to US and stop this inflow.

 

No one ever dictates the US...As long they have interests in Pakistan they will do what they want no matter what...We surely can cry like babies and hold up some deals for diplomatic support...But nothing beyond that...
Whatever leverage the Americans have left, over Pakistan...The Americans would want to keep it....
We are nothing to them just pieces in a game (As all countries are to each other) and a potential market.

 

And how does that even matter....!? A weapon is a weapon...It fires it works that's all there is to it.
Pakistan has no major power ambitions, that they will design and pay for their own weapons....Why do members even expect that from them !?

Gifted Weapons works as well


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It doesn't make a difference for us - but it SHOULD matter to those who's money is being taken to fund the Pak defense budget. i.e. US citizens. That's why I said this -

 

I get your point. The whole deal is, even if the US citizens doesn't want this to happen, does the US government even care?

US is dependent on India for it's market. The fact is they are losing out of huge market share(globally) and had to improve their terms with India in the past(for their own advantage though)
. India can make a statement by denying US what it so clearly craves. Donald Trump was against financing Pak, but now it seems everything is heading the same old direction.

 

I get your concern brother....But I guess more than half the American Citizens won't be able to point out Pakistan in a world map....Let alone know more about them....

And anyway....When it comes to Intl. Diplomacy....When Has the American Government Ever Listened to their people...


The Only Countries The Americans care about now it seems are the ones they feel are taking their Jobs...Mexico....China....India....
They could care less about...Say... Pakistan....Iran..... Afghanistan.....
There is also the 'Muslim Refugee'....'Islam'... angle....But since Americans consider Pakistan an important ally....They won't let it reach them....They might ban refugees or tourists...Or immigrants...or whatever from Pakistan....but I don't think the Americans will ever stop selling certain weapons to Pakistan....It would be foolish to expect so...


But again....This is just my understanding...I could be wrong.