Pakistan to get US TOW 2A guided missiles

[Neo]

Pakistan to get US TOW 2A guided missiles

WASHINGTON: December 12, 2006: The United States Defence Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan of TOW 2A Missiles as well as associated equipment and services.

Total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $185 million.

Pakistani government has requested a possible sale of 2,769 Radio Frequency (RF) TOW 2A Missiles, 7 RF TOW 2A Fly-to-buy Missiles, 415 RF Bunker Buster Missiles, 7 RF Fly-to-buy Bunker Buster Missiles, upgrade of 121 TOW Basic/TOW-I launchers to fire TOW II configuration for wire-guided and wireless missiles, TOW Data Acquisition Systems, gunner aiming sight, testers, cameras, spare and repair parts, technical support, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, technical data, publications, US Government, contractor engineering, logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

This proposed sale will contribute to furthering foreign policy and national security of the US by helping a friendly country provide for its own legitimate self-defence needs and to enable Pakistan to support US operations against terrorist activity along its porous borders.

In addition, these missiles have most recently been employed in several global war on terrorism operations in tribal areas of Pakistan and have allowed, when coupled with Cobra attack helicopters, Government of Pakistan to employ new tactics, techniques and procedures that have proven highly effective against terrorists.

Pakistan will augment its land forces with these TOW-2A anti-armour guided missiles. Pakistan will use these missiles to increase its military defensive posture and will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces.

Pakistan's existing inventory of TOW missiles will soon begin to be affected by its specified shelf life. While TOW missiles can be employed beyond their shelf life, system reliability and safety are eroded.

Pakistan continues to expend TOW missiles in both training exercises and combat operations.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect basic military balance in the region. Prime contractor will be Raytheon Company in Tucson, Arizona. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require assignment of any US Government and contractor representatives to Pakistan.

There will be no adverse impact on US defence readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law, it does not mean the sale has been concluded, DSCA said.

 

[Neo]

Foreign Military Sale: Pakistan - TOW-2A Anti-Armor Guided Missiles

The TOW-2A Anti-Armor Guided Missile
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Dec 12, 2006

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan of TOW 2A Missiles as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $185 million.

The Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of 2,769 Radio Frequency (RF) TOW 2A Missiles, 7 RF TOW 2A Fly-to-buy Missiles, 415 RF Bunker Buster Missiles, 7 RF Fly-to-buy Bunker Buster Missiles, upgrade of 121 TOW Basic/TOW-I launchers to fire TOW II configuration for wire-guided and wireless missiles, TOW Data Acquisition Systems, gunner aiming sight, testers, cameras, spare and repair parts, technical support, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, technical data and publications, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $185 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to furthering the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping a friendly country provide for its own legitimate self-defense needs and to enable Pakistan to support U.S. operations against terrorist activity along its porous borders. In addition, these missiles have most recently been employed in several global war on terrorism operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan and have allowed, when coupled with Cobra attack helicopters, the Government of Pakistan to employ new tactics, techniques and procedures that have proven highly effective against terrorists.

Pakistan will augment its land forces with these TOW-2A anti-armor guided missiles. Pakistan will use these missiles to increase its military defensive posture and will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces.

Pakistan's existing inventory of TOW missiles will soon begin to be affected by its specified shelf life. While TOW missiles can be employed beyond their shelf life, system reliability and safety are eroded. Pakistan continues to expend TOW missiles in both training exercises and combat operations.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractor will be Raytheon Company in Tucson, Arizona.

There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Pakistan.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law; it does not mean that the sale has been concluded.

Open this link for picture:
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/For...___TOW_2A_Anti_Armor_Guided_Missiles_999.html

 

[Awesome]

What's the logic in keeping the 7 fly to buy options for each kind?

The use of bunker busters would be an interesting technological leap ahead for PA. Although we should have the A2G bunker busters too, to be used against fortified caves in Kashmir.

 

[Neo]

Blain2 or Keyersoze might explain that.

Btw, aren't we also developping such missiles indegeniously?

 

[Keysersoze]

It's a good all round selection of missles for a number of reasons.. However, I have no idea what "fly to buy" means

I know why they have chosen the missile types though.....(Some of them are interesting for fans of the Arjun)


The good thing is that the older ammo will be used to train troops with. There is nothing like live weapons for accurate training........

 

[Keysersoze]

Oh I forgot..... I don't think that the current gen of PAK missiles can deal with some of the modern armour threats out there. So in the meantime it makes sense to keep their capability current.

 

[Awesome]

fly to buy I'm guessing is when the missiles are delivered without payment.

They are paid for only when they are used. Speaking from memory, I read something like this 3-4 years ago.

 

[JK!]

Any chance of getting TOW2B with top attack capability and range of 5000 metres?

 

[Keysersoze]

Well they are getting the upgrades for the launcher units so in theory it would be feasible.

 

[blain2]

It's a good all round selection of missles for a number of reasons.. However, I have no idea what "fly to buy" means

I know why they have chosen the missile types though.....(Some of them are interesting for fans of the Arjun)


The good thing is that the older ammo will be used to train troops with. There is nothing like live weapons for accurate training........

Fly to buy means "evaluation" rounds.

 

[Keysersoze]

I must say I am curious as to the RF rounds. The obvious disadvantages for wire guided systems are obvious, but what are the weak points for the RF rounds?

 

[blain2]

I must say I am curious as to the RF rounds. The obvious disadvantages for wire guided systems are obvious, but what are the weak points for the RF rounds?

With RF you have potential issues with impedence in the signal. The ATGM could also be susceptible to RF jamming, however most targets would not be able to defend themselves against a RF round like the TOW-2A/B being discussed due to lack of effective jamming capabilities.

 

[Keysersoze]

But I assume that it would not be a huge leap (With the various countermeasures available with modern combat aircraft.), to create a countermeasures suite to counter RF and similar systems.

 

[Neo]

The good thing is that the older ammo will be used to train troops with. There is nothing like live weapons for accurate training........

I guess you're right:

TOW-2A missiles, the notification said, “will contribute to furthering the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping a friendly country provide for its own legitimate self-defence needs and to enable Pakistan to support US operations against terrorist activity along its porous borders”.In addition, these missiles have most recently been employed in several global war on terrorism operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan and have allowed, when coupled with Cobra attack helicopters, the government of Pakistan to employ new tactics, techniques and procedures that have proven highly effective against terrorists.

Pakistan will augment its land forces with these TOW-2A anti-armour guided missiles. It will use these missiles to increase its military defensive posture and will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces.

Pakistan’s existing inventory of TOW missiles will soon begin to be affected by its specified shelf life. While TOW missiles can be employed beyond their shelf life, system reliability and safety are eroded. Pakistan continues to expend TOW missiles in both training exercises and combat operations, the Pentagon said.

Read full article here: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\12\13\story_13-12-2006_pg7_17

 

[blain2]

But I assume that it would not be a huge leap (With the various countermeasures available with modern combat aircraft.), to create a countermeasures suite to counter RF and similar systems.

Well both Pakistani and Indian tanks have introduced active protection systems but these can't do much against RF guided ATGMs (only good against some laser guided ATGMs). Maybe there will be something in the future...but not sure...I suspect instead of coming up with something like that, advancements in armour/ERA type technology would be easier to achieve so it can defeat the ATGM.