Pakistan To Receive American Drones

[Windjammer]

Despite regularly following f-16 news. i'm totally aware of this fact. care to throw some more light on it?

Does American satellites picking up the "Smoking Gun" parked at a Balochistan Air Base rings any bells.

 

[Bratva]

Why my sixth sense telling me it's Predator XP.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. said it won U.S. approval for an export version of the Predator drone, clearing the way for the first sales of the unmanned aircraft in the Middle East.

“There’s interest from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates,” Frank Pace, president of the aircraft systems group at the closely held company, said today in an interview at the Farnborough Air Show near London.

General Atomics see the potential for sales of as many as 100 units in the Middle East and Pakistan of the so-called Predator XP model approved for export, Pace said.

General Atomics Wins Approval to Sell First Predator Drones in Middle East - Bloomberg

Predator XP For Civilians

July 30, 2010: The manufacturer of the MQ-1 Predator UAV, General Atomics, is now marketing the unarmed version, the RQ-1, to civilian customers, as the Predator XP. By modifying it so that it's difficult to arm the UAV, the U.S. government has certified the RQ-1 as a civilian aircraft, and eligible for sale to anyone. Without this new marketing effort, the original Predator faced a shutdown of its production line. That's because General Atomics has developed two new UAVs to replace the Predator, and customers are responding with more orders for the new stuff, and few for the original Predator.

Warplanes: Predator XP For Civilians

 

[Ammyy]

Why my sixth sense telling me it's Predator XP.

almost a year old article

 

[Bratva]

Does American satellites picking up the "Smoking Gun" parked at a Balochistan Air Base rings any bells.

Nah, It's 2 am here in Pak, tomorrow there is a mid term exam of mine, so my Brain is totally dull at this time to solve your riddles, a layman explanation would be suffice

 

[Windjammer]

I think Pakistan should cancel the deal .

Mini drone, 10 km range
With this amount of money they can make same think in their own country

Such toys don't require a 24 month delivery date.

 

[Bratva]

almost a year old article

Implementing Defence deals take times, yet it's a 9 month old article. not so old.

 

[Mirage2000]

One question why do we need this? And who the hell asked for these things? we have invested in Falco drone why would we need this?

 

[Ammyy]

Implementing Defence deals take times, yet it's a 9 month old article. not so old.

ok lets take it 9 months

Still no confirmation from any one ????

 

[Windjammer]

Nah, It's 2 am here in Pak, tomorrow there is a mid term exam of mine, so my Brain is totally dull at this time to solve your riddles, a layman explanation would be suffice

I have just finished a 14 hour work schedule, all seems like yesterday.
Anyways, let's just focus on the Drone news.

 

[foxbat]

It is clearly a sign. Pak asks battle choppers and get outdated Cobra's, they offer India latest Apache. We ask Predator we receive toys. I must say it is clear that US relationship is nearing zero.

Is it surprising.. In India its a commercial deal and India is known to be an easy negotiator on price (aka Russian Carrier). Supply to Pakistan is more on lines of keeping the Pak Military happy so that they keep towing the American line.. So obviously Americans try and make this exercise as low cost as possible..

 

[Trisonics]

The United States will provide Pakistan with 85 small "Raven" drone aircraft, a U.S. military official told Reuters, a key step to addressing Islamabad's calls for access to U.S. drone technology.

The official, speaking on Thursday on condition of anonymity, declined to disclose the cost of the non-lethal, short-range surveillance aircraft, which are manufactured by the U.S.-based AeroVironment Inc.

A company spokesman said the Raven is used by U.S. allies including Italy, Spain and Norway and is one of the most widely utilized unmanned aircraft in the world.

The disclosure is another sign of growing U.S. military assistance to Pakistan, a crucial if often tense ally in the U.S. fight against al Qaeda and insurgents attacking U.S. forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

Pakistan is expected to receive roughly $3 billion in U.S. military aid in the upcoming fiscal year.

On Wednesday, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, accused the country's intelligence agency of a having a longstanding relationship with Haqqani militants targeting U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The White House said in a report to Congress released this month Pakistan lacked a robust plan to defeat Taliban militants, and noted its security forces are struggling to hold areas cleared of the al Qaeda-linked fighters at great cost.

Still, U.S. military officials also praise increased efforts by Pakistan's military over the past several years in tackling some insurgents and say cooperation at a tactical level on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border is greatly improved.

"It represents a level of coordination that is better than it's ever been," Mullen told reporters.

SHADOW DRONES?

The Raven, according to the company website, has a wingspan of just 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) and a weight of 1.9 kilos (4.2 pounds). It can deliver real-time color or infrared imagery, giving troops on the ground an edge on the battlefield.

A senior U.S. defense official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Raven drone order is separate from U.S. plans to offer Pakistan much larger, longer-range surveillance drones, a proposition put forward by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates during a visit to Pakistan in January 2010.

That offer delighted Islamabad at the time but Pakistani officials say those talks have been held up over complaints about the cost proposed by Washington and a slow timeline for delivery.

The defense official suggested those talks were nearing conclusion.

"We're in final discussions about which one they really want. They think they want the Shadow," the senior defense official said.

Gates had originally offered Pakistan 12 Shadow drones, manufactured by AAI Corporation, a unit of Textron Systems.

They are not the weaponized versions being used by the CIA to track and kill al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents in Pakistan but are used strictly for surveillance and intelligence gathering.

(Editing by Sophie Hares)

U.S. to supply Pakistan with 85 mini-drones | Reuters

 

[Manticore]

A soldier prepares to launch the Raven in Iraq

awsome launch mechanism-- i thought they were toys for modelers/ aviation enthusiasts

 

[Manticore]

AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven

The Raven can be either remotely controlled from the ground station or fly completely autonomous missions using GPS waypoint navigation. The UAV can be ordered to immediately return to its launch point simply by pressing a single command button.[1] Standard mission payloads include CCD color video cameras and an infrared night vision camera.

A single Raven costs about $35,000 and the total system costs $250,000

 

[CLIPPER4LIFE]

US to supply Pakistan with 85 mini-dronesReuters​

(1 hour ago) Today

The US military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to disclose the cost or model of the non-lethal, short-range aircraft. – File Photo by Reuters


ISLAMABAD: The United States will provide Pakistan with 85 small “Raven” drone aircraft, a US military official told Reuters on Thursday, a key step to meeting Islamabad’s calls for access to US drone technology.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to disclose the cost or model of the non-lethal, short-range aircraft, which are manufactured by the US-based AeroVironment Inc.

A company spokesman said the Raven is used by US allies including Italy, Spain and Norway and is one of the most widely utilised unmanned aircraft in the world.

The disclosure is another sign of growing US military assistance to Pakistan, a crucial if often tense ally in the US fight against al Qaeda and insurgents attacking US forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Pakistan is expected to receive roughly $3 billion in US military aid in the upcoming fiscal year.

On Wednesday, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, accused the country’s intelligence agency of a having a longstanding relationship with Haqqani militants targeting US forces in Afghanistan.

The White House said in a report to Congress released this month Pakistan lacked a robust plan to defeat Taliban militants, and noted its security forces are struggling to hold areas cleared of the al Qaeda-linked fighters at great cost.

Still, US military officials also praise increased efforts by Pakistan’s military over the past several years in tackling some insurgents and say cooperation at a tactical level on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border is greatly improved.

“It represents a level of coordination that is better than it’s ever been,” Mullen told reporters.

SHADOW DRONES?

The Raven, according to the company website, has a wingspan of just 1.4 metres (4.5 feet) and a weight of 1.9 kilos (4.2 pounds). It can deliver real-time colour or infrared imagery, giving troops on the ground an edge on the battlefield.

A senior US defence official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Raven drone order is separate from US plans to offer Pakistan much larger, longer-range surveillance drones, a proposition put forward by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates during a visit to Pakistan in January 2010.

That offer delighted Islamabad at the time but Pakistani officials say those talks have been held up over complaints about the cost proposed by Washington and a slow timeline for delivery.

The US defence official suggested those talks were nearing conclusion.

“We’re in final discussions about which one they really want. They think they want the Shadow,” the senior US defence official said.

Gates had originally offered Pakistan 12 Shadow drones, manufactured by AAI Corporation, a unit of Textron Systems.

They are not the weaponised versions being used by the CIA to track and kill al Qaeda and Taliban insurgents in Pakistan but are used strictly for surveillance and intelligence gathering.

 

[CLIPPER4LIFE]

I guess in return we'll have to fight in North Waziristan.....