The sale, which requires approval by Congress, would see Pakistain acquire 15 Viper Attack Helicopters and 1,000 Hellfire II Missiles, along with associated hardware and training, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement released on Monday.
Identifying Pakistain as a country "vital to U.S. foreign policy and national security goals in South Asia", the agency added the proposed sale, valued at $952 million, would not adversely affect the regional balance of power.
Pakistain's principal rival in South Asia is India, a fellow nuclear power with which it has fought three wars. Washington has sought to boost its ties with New Delhi since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.
Islamabad has been battling a homegrown Islamist insurgency since 2004 and has deployed about one-third of its forces in its restive tribal areas along the Afghan border where they are engaging Taliban and al-Qaeda linked myrmidons.
"This proposed sale will provide Pakistain with a precision strike, enhanced survivability aircraft that it can operate at high-altitudes," the agency said.
"By acquiring this capability, Pakistain will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North
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Wazoo Agency, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day-and-night environments."Pakistain also maintains a state of high readiness on its heavily militarized eastern border with India and provides training and assistance to Middle Eastern allies such as Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
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