Pakistan set to receive advance US Air-to-Air missiles

In a press release dated September 30, the US Department of War mentioned that Raytheon has been awarded an additional USD 41 million, which adds up to the previously awarded brings up the total value of the contract to USD 2.5 billion.

The contract has been awarded for Advance Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles C8 and D3 variants and tits production.

According to the US Department of War, the work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by May 30, 2030.

It involves foreign military sales to Pakistan. Other countries to which it would be sold to includes United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Australia, Qatar, Oman, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Kuwait and Turkiye.

"Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a $41,681,329 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for Advance Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles C8 and D3 variants and the production thereof. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $2,512,389,558 from $2,470,708,229. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by May 30, 2030. This contract involves foreign military sales to United Kingdom, Poland, Pakistan, Germany, Finland...", the official statement said.

Dawn reported that the US missiles are to be equipped on F-16 Falcons flown by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

It further mentioned that the May 7 contract for the AMRAAM deal had not included Pakistan as among the list of buyers for the missile.

Dawn mentioned that Pakistan had previously bought 700 AMRAAM in January 2007- which at that time was the largest international order for the weapon.

The announcement of the AMRAAM missiles comes shortly after US President Donald Trump had met Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir in September. (ANI)