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

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: Reuters

The United States will provide Pakistan with 85 small "Raven" drone aircraft, a U.S. military official told Reuters on Thursday, a key step to meeting Islamabad's calls for access to U.S. 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 U.S.-based AeroVironment Inc.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/21/us-usa-pakistan-drones-idUSTRE73K7EJ20110421?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews

[DCKit]

1. What could possibly go wrong? nt

[Angleae]

18. Not a whole lot actually.

These drones are too small to be much use for anything.

[Baclava]

2. So what are we doing for India, you ask?

India quietly begins combat drone project

Capable of flying at altitudes of 30,000 feet and weighing less than 15 tonnes, the UCAVs will have rail-launching for the missiles, bombs and PGMs (precision-guided munitions) they will carry," he added.

The realisation that UCAVs are "game-changers in modern-day warfare" has been reinforced by the successful use of American 'Predator' and 'Reaper' drones, armed with Hellfire and other missiles, against the Taliban in the Af-Pak region.

"But unlike Predators, which are like aircraft, our UCAVs will be more of 'a flying-wing' in design. This will ensure they have a low radar cross-section to evade enemy sensors," said Dr Prahlada.

Pakistan, incidentally, has been after the US to get Predators but so far has only managed to extract assurances for supply of the unarmed 'Shadow' drones for intelligence-gathering missions.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-11/india/29406216_1_ucavs-killer-drones-unarmed-shadow-drones

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

17. You mean "other then sending them our jobs"?

Or importing their citizens via H1B visas to work cheap here?
I think we're doing plenty for India.

[cosmicone]

3. These will be used against India of course n/t

[closeupready]

4. If one harbored paranoid ideas, then that would be one conjecture, yes.

nt

[cosmicone]

13. Historical facts are not paranoia.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-09-13/pakistan/28064644_1_musharraf-baloch-nationalist-leader-nuclear-assets

Everything Pakistan does is find relevance vis a vis India. Pakistan is just not satisfied being a small, poor, irrelevant country incapable of fighting a war against India and living in peace because it would mean Islam lost and Hindus won in the "two nation doctrine."

This is why Pakistan continues to arm itself to the teeth and remains hostile when India has never threatened Pakistan one bit throughout history. Indians are happy to live in peace with a peaceful, non-threatening Pakistan, but Pakistan has always been belligerent throughout history, starting 4 wars against India and continuing the terrorism in Kashmir.

[vssmith]

5. this could easily turn out badly

[Baclava]

6. More iraq war surplus junk

We're cleaning off the shelves to make room for new stuff.


Raven



UAV RQ-7 Shadow

[dipsydoodle]

7. U.S. drones kill 957 civilian Pakistanis in 2010: report

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-04/14/c_13829287.htm

Shall we start a daily score for Libya ? :sarcasm:

[Baclava]

8. Uh, these are unarmed model RC planes we're talking about - not full-sized Predators

Little spy model drones going to Pakistan aren't going to bomb anything.

[dipsydoodle]

9. They are used to identify targets

.

[Baclava]

10. Yes - but they are tiny and can't fly long, that's why we dumped them

Old junk - cleaning out the closets.

[Baclava]

11. We're just buying Pakistan support - up to $2 billion a year now

Remember this?

US Gives Pakistan Long-Term Military Aid Pledge

State Department October 22, 2010

The Obama administration pledged Friday to raise its military aid to Pakistan to $2 billion a year - a total increase of $10 billion over five years

The aid pledge, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, provides a long-term U.S. security commitment along the lines of the five-year, $7.5 billion civilian aid package for Pakistan approved by Congress last year.

Clinton said the Obama administration will ask Congress for $2 billion in military aid for Pakistan for each year from 2012 to 2016.

The yearly pledges constitute an increase in the roughly $1.5 billion in annual military aid provided in recent years, and give Pakistan an assurance of continuity in U.S. support.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/US-Announces-New-2-Billion-Military-Aid-Package-to-Pakistan-105527373.html

[cosmicone]

14. Again, Pakistan arming itself against India. n/t

[closeupready]

16. And.....? You're on record here for favoring the balkanization of Pakistan.

Lots of you guys favor that. So, no, I wouldn't trust you either if I were Pakistan.

[Vidar]

12. Might as well hand 'em straight to the Taliban, cutting out the middle man.

[cosmicone]

15. +1,000 n/t

[kiranon]

20. Agree. n/t

[NeoConsSuck]

19. For smaller wedding parties? (nt)