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Pakistan orders 40 MaxxPro MRAP vehicles from the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Defence has issued a US $35 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract for 40 MaxxPro Dash DXM mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles for Pakistan.
The MRAP program is scheduled for completion by October 2018.
Powered by a 425 hp diesel engine, the MaxxPro Dash DXM is a variant of the MaxxPro Dash (with improved suspension), which was introduced in 2008-2009. The Dash DXM has a V-shaped hull designed for reflecting blasts from mines and improvised explosive devices (IED) away from its crew. The Dash DXM has a payload capacity of more than 4,500 kg.
Notes & Comments:
Pakistan has been using MRAPs as part of its ongoing counterinsurgency (COIN) operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Pakistan had sought surplus MRAPs from U.S. stocks in Afghanistan under the Excess Defence Articles (EDA) program. These efforts did not materialize (certainly not at the scale of America’s EDA transfer of 762 MaxxPro MRAPs to Egypt).
In September 2014, the U.S. approved a US $198 million sale for 160 Navistar MaxxPro MRAPs, at least some of which have been ordered and delivered to Pakistan. It is not clear if this recent order is part of that original framework or a follow-on order.
Besides Navistar, other vendors are also involved in supplying MRAP or MRAP-like vehicles to Pakistan. The Turkish auto-manufacturer BMC is believed to have sold Kirpi MRAPs to Pakistan. The Kirpi benefits from STANAG-4569 Level-3 protection against small arms fire and STANAG 4569 Level-3B for defensibility against mines and IEDs under the chassis.
The Pakistani vendor Blitzkrieg Defence Solutions is also developing the Hamza 8×8 armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) with STANAG-4569L Level-4B protection for mine and IED blasts.
Apart from the defunct Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Burraq program, Pakistan has not pursued the local production of 4×4 MRAPs analogous to the MaxxPro Dash or Kirpi. It is possible that the Army does not perceive of a long-term need for MRAPs, especially in numbers sufficient to offset the cost of domestic manufacturing. In fact, even the Hamza AFV – which has MRAP-like qualities in regards to blast protection – is being marketed as a general-purpose vehicle, one that can even be used to carry a 105-mm gun turret.
11 Comments
by Hashim Rasheed
Pakistan should have looked at their locally developed vehicles, such as the Hamza. Buying from foreign sources practically kills off the local industry. However, it is worth noting that the US is open to supplying some equipment to Pakistan under the FMS, but not the stuff for which there is more pressing need for Pakistan. The US has at best proven to be an ally that cannot be depended upon, thus all the more reason for Pakistan to go local.
by Superior Shakeel
This is just plain silly we have huge requirement of MRAPs and other armored vehicle we are in a civil war of sorts right now and even if we don’t then why can’t we make and sell them to other countries?
I mean what war is Sweden fighting but they still manufacture and sell weapons if we can’t make these simple systems and have to import them too?? This is just hopeless.
by Superior Shakeel
They are always ready to supply equipment if you can pay them the money the issue with the F-16s ran with military aid not with the actually selling the planes and we refused them to buy without the aid package.
Though OTOH we should refuse the aid and keep our soveirgnity and operational freedom rather than depend on the aid which encroaches on all these aspects.
Also we should buy from Russia and some other country maybe Serbia chase we already use APC supplied by them too they will be cheap and sanction free.
by U
This is absolutely ridiculous!
I always had a feeling and this makes me more afraid that even in the Armed forces these guys do under the table stuff. I mean why in the world will they not support a local product???? Still begging the US???!! or hopefull of some kick backs???
I believe its the same with the Turkish duckling I mean the T129.
I hope I am wrong.
by Bilal Khan
It’s not always corruption. A lot of the times it just boils down to which vendor is offering financing, offsets – and in some cases – the actual product itself.
Regarding the MRAP, the money could be from CSFs or other assistance mechanisms.
We’ve generally assumed that the Mi-28NE is available based on news reports (albeit from IHS Jane’s – so more credible than most), but we know from certainty that the Z-10 and T-129 are on offer from China and Turkey, respectively. Both these parties are also willing to talk terms, be it financing, offsets or flexibility in timing production with Pakistan’s fiscal capacities (e.g. small batch orders over the long-term).
by Superior Shakeel
Lol okay how would you be paying for that cheque or wire transfer??
by @@$h¡$h
I dont think Pak will have its operational freedom..ever… because US is giving aid to pak since 6 days after pakistan was formed……in terms of defense discounts as well as development funds…so it will hold to account pak whenever its required for their benefits…and i think pak democrats say whatever on media… but they dont have a backbone to refuse US on anything…wheather its genuine or not.
US has been using karachi port for imports and exports for free from 60 years… for which it pays INDIA 2000$ per container.. in mumbai port.
Pak could have earned billions of dollars from it till now…and
Now chinese have come to rule..it and they have been doing whatever is required to exploit pak’s local resources..all they want is their own profits… in terms of oils from middle east or local mineral resources..
I wish some govt should form in pak.. which enhances the local industries and exploit their own resource wealth rather than…obeying orders from other powers…
by Khalid Riaz
It is quite ironic that the US did not provide the surplus MRAPs in sufficient numbers to Pakistan under the Excess Defense Articles program despite Pakistan having launched operation Zarb-e-Azb to clear the area bordering with Afghanistan of the terrorists. Who needs to “do more” here?
Just for the context, the US-backed Afghan government has handed over a list of 85 terrorists to Pakistan army who are allegedly operating from Pakistan after the army had provided them a list of 76 terrorists based in Afghanistan who were wanted for attacks in Pakistan.
This was in the aftermath of more than 70 Pakistanis killed in Sehwan terrorist attack. The death toll from the terror attacks in other cities of Pakistan during the last few days adds to this total.
Afghanistan has every right to expect that its neighbor would prevent its soil from being used against Afghanistan. But to make a counter demand when more than 75 people die in a terrorist attack in Pakistan says a lot about their strategy.
It seems Afghanistan has no intention to act. Nor does the US, which still has considerable presence on the other side of the border.
It was also unbelievable how during his speech President Trump mixed up Sehwan with Sweden. He actually thought the terrorist attack took place in Sweden. This is how much the US President cares when the victims of terror attacks are Pakistanis.
Still want those surplus MRAPs from the US?
by Superior Shakeel
Actually he was talking about Sweden I’m pretty sure he didn’t know or care anything about sehwan as this was not reported in western media at all especially fox or Breitbart which Trump watches exclusively.
There was wide news on some attack in Sweden which was not actually a terrorist attack but fox ran with it Trump was just parroting that.
by U
I hope you are right about the MRAPs and there’s a very very good reason to go for these MRAPs, but they should now really start supporting local private industry and in my opinion they Can, if they really want to.
About the Mi-28NE then I think it should be available on the pretext of counter insurgency operations jist like the Mi-35 and even the F16s!
Even the small batch strategy you mentioned is already being applied on Mi-35s so why not on Mi-28s ?
There’s also some news about ordering new Mi-171s.
by Sami Shahid
Bro, we have money. Anyway, we ordered 160 MRAPS’s but don’t know why we will receive just 40. We can buy more from Turkey and Russia.