- US approves sale of advanced air-to-air missiles to Pakistan.
- Raytheon awarded $41.6 million contract modification.
- Deal adds Pakistan to AMRAAM buyers list.
Raytheon, a leading US defence contractor, will supply Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) to Pakistan after a contract modification added Islamabad to the list of buyers.
According to a statement issued by the US Department of War for the US Air Force on September 30, Raytheon was awarded a $41.6 million firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for the enhanced C8 and D3 AMRAAM variants and their production.
“The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $2.5124 billion from $2.4707 billion. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by May 30, 2030,” read the statement.
“This contract involves foreign military sales to United Kingdom, Poland, Pakistan, Germany, Finland, Australia, Romania, Qatar, Oman, Korea, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal, Singapore, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Japan, Slovakia, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Norway, Spain, Kuwait, Finland, Sweden, Taiwan, Lithuania, Isreal, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Turkey,” it added.
In recent months, Washington’s ties with Islamabad have improved following US President Donald Trump’s intervention in the armed conflict between Pakistan and India, which resulted in a ceasefire.
Following the intervention, the incumbent government nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Under the memorandum of understanding with Pakistan in September, the USSM would invest around $500 million in its critical minerals sector to establish mineral processing and development facilities in the country.
The partnership was set to immediately begin export of minerals such as antimony, copper, gold, tungsten, and rare earth elements, while laying the groundwork for establishing USSM’s proprietary poly-metallic refinery in Pakistan. The facility will produce intermediate and finished products to meet the rising demand of the US market.
The USSM, based in the state of Missouri, is focused on producing and recycling critical minerals, which the United States Department of Energy has defined as essential in a variety of technologies related to advanced manufacturing and energy production.
Separately, the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) signed an MoU with Mota-Engil Group to explore long-term partnerships in engineering and construction. The global firm expressed interest in aligning with Pakistan’s infrastructure development goals and expanding its presence in West Asia through local job creation, technology sharing, and sustainable practices.
Pakistan also clinched a “landmark deal” with the US, negotiating a reduction in reciprocal tariffs from 29% to 19%.
