US dismisses claims of missile sales to Pakistan, says ‘no upgrade’ to current capabilities
The US has dismissed claims that Pakistan will receive new AMRAAMs, stating that a recent contract amendment only pertains to sustainment and spare parts support.
The United States on Friday dismissed reports suggesting that Pakistan would receive new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) under a recently amended contract, clarifying that the modification relates only to sustainment and spare parts support and does not involve any delivery of new weapons.
In a statement, the US Embassy said the Department of War's September 30 announcement referred to "an amendment to an existing Foreign Military Sales contract for sustainment and spares for several countries, including Pakistan."
“The Administration would like to emphasize that contrary to false media reports, no part of this referenced contract modification is for deliveries of new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Pakistan,” it added.
The statement also specifically stated, “The sustainment does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistan’s current capabilities,” suggesting that the contract being referred to in media reports could potentially have something to do with replenishing Pakistan's stock of such missiles.
Several media outlets over the past few days, including some regional publications, reported that Pakistan was likely to receive advanced AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles from the US, which could bolster its ageing F-16 fleet, thereby giving a boost to Pakistan's aerial capabilities and potentially altering the regional balance of aerial power.
The reports also gained steam given Pakistan's recent overtures to the US, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir visiting Washington DC recently and meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.
During said visit, Pakistan's leadership not only tried to cozy up to the US President by displaying rare earths (a gesture that was mocked even by Pakistani lawmakers), but also backed Trump's claims that he stopped a potential nuclear conflict between Pakistan India on the back of Operation Sindoor.
With Pakistan having already nominated the US President for the Nobel Peace Prize in June, Trump jumped on the opportunity to double down on his claim during the visit by Sharif and Munir, claiming that the Pakistani leadership thanked him for saving millions of lives.
"The prime minister of Pakistan [Shehbaz Sharif] was here along with the field marshal [Munir], who's a very important guy in Pakistan. He was here [White House] a few days ago. And he said to a group of people, 'This man [Trump] saved millions of lives because he saved [stopped] the war from going on,'" Trump said at the time.
"That war was going to get very bad. I was very honoured. I love the way he said it. Susie Wiles [White House Chief of Staff] was there. She said that was the most beautiful thing. But we saved a lot of them," the US President further said.