The U.S. government has approved the sale of advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to more than 30 allied countries, including Pakistan. With this decision, U.S. defence contractor Raytheon will be able to supply the modern medium-range air-to-air missile to Pakistan for the first time.
According to reports, the U.S. has amended Raytheon’s procurement list, and the proposed deal’s value has risen slightly from $2.47 billion to about $2.5 billion.
Under the agreement, the missiles will be supplied not only to Pakistan but also to countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Finland, Australia, Romania, Qatar, Oman, South Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Norway, Kuwait, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada and others.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM is an advanced beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile capable of striking hostile targets with high accuracy in all-weather conditions. It can be integrated with modern fighter aircraft such as the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 and F-35. The AMRAAM D-3 variant has an approximate range of 180 kilometres and is designed to counter advanced missile threats.
Defence analysts say the decision signals deepening defence cooperation between the United States and Pakistan and represents a significant step in maintaining the regional balance of power. Analysts also noted the timing comes after recent Pakistan–India tensions in which, they say, the Pakistan Air Force demonstrated extended-range engagement capabilities using Chinese PL-15 missiles.
U.S. approval to sell AMRAAMs for installation on Pakistan’s existing U.S.-origin F-16 aircraft is expected to substantially enhance Pakistan’s aerial combat capabilities and air-defence reach.
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