Article Posted on : - May 01, 2010

Bell 412 the medium twin-engine helicopter. Photo: Bell helicopter

ISLAMABAD (PTI): The United States announced on Thursday that it will provide two helicopters to boost the Pakistani military's counter-insurgency efforts.

The US will purchase the two Bell 412 enhanced performance utility transport helicopters, valued at 24 million dollars, to support Pakistan's counter-insurgency operations.

The US will also provide spare parts, special tools and other equipment worth 20 million dollar to support the aircraft, said a statement from the American embassy.

In a separate development, US Consul General Carmela Conroy presented four special vehicles equipped to investigate crime scenes to the police force in Punjab province.

The vehicles, valued at USD 195,000, were handed over during a ceremony at the Police Training School in Lahore that marked the completion of a week-long US-sponsored course on crime scene evidence-gathering for 30 police personnel.

Each vehicle is equipped with laptop computers, still and video cameras, microscopes, portable fingerprint workstations, portable ladders and generators to improve evidence storage.

In the past three years, US civil and security assistance to Pakistan has totaled over four billion dollars.

The aid has included fourteen F-16 fighter aircraft, ten Mi-17 helicopters, more than 450 vehicles for Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, hundreds of night vision goggles and thousands of protective vests.

The US has also provided training for over 370 Pakistani military officers in a wide range of leadership and development programmes covering topics like counter-terrorism and intelligence.