US to replace Pak’s Orions

The US will supply two P3C Orion maritime surveillance planes to Pakistan to replace the aircraft that were destroyed in a terrorist strike on Karachi naval airbase last month. Quoting diplomatic sources Dawn news said, “The US has decided to supply two P3C Orion aircraft to Pakistan to replace the aircraft that were destroyed in the PNS Mehran attack on May 22nd.” “The US will also be supplying F-16 aircraft and its spare parts,” it said. Moreover, it is also expected that the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff Admiral Mike Mullen will soon be visiting Pakistan. The destruction of the two four-engine all-weather P3C Orion aircraft had temporarily affected Pakistan navy’s counter-terrorism and surface and underwater reconnaissance operations. The aircraft is designed for surface and underwater reconnaissance and anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel operations. It is rated as the fastest turbo-prop long-range maritime patrol (LRMP) platform used worldwide and is also called the airborne destroyer. Heavily-armed Taliban gunmen had stormed Mehran airbase in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, destroying two US-made surveillance aircraft and killing at least five security personnel.