Pakistan wants more AH-1F helicopter gunships from US

Islamabad, Aug.27 (ANI): Pakistan has requested the United States to provide it more AH-1F helicopter gunships to facilitate its war against the Taliban and other extremist groups based in the lawless tribal region along the Pakistan -Afghanistan border.

Pakistan, which currently uses eight AH-1F helicopter gunships provided to it by US last year, considers the AH-1 as an effective weapon in the fight against the Taliban.

The AH-1F is equipped with three barrel 20mm automatic cannon, and 750 rounds of ammunition. The AH-1F can also carry unguided rockets or Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and has maximum speed of about 270 kilometers per hour, but its specialty is that it can operate in night also.

The Pakistan Air Force already has 20 AH-1S helicopter gunships, but they can operate in day light only, so it wants to upgrade them to AH-1F, strategypage.com reported.

part from the AH-1F's, Islamabad also wants more night vision gear, Hellfire missiles and protective vests for the infantry to keep up their operation against the militants and reduce the number of casualties among the Armed forces. (ANI)