P-3C MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT INSPECTED

S E C R E T ISLAMABAD 002577 NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/18/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MASS PK SUBJECT: P-3C MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT INSPECTED REF: A. (A) ISLAMABAD 2533 ¶B. (B) ISLAMABAD 2212 ¶C. (C) STATE 93942 Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4(b/d) ¶1. (S/NF) Summary: A PMA team conducted an Enhanced End-Use Monitoring (EEUM) inspection of Pakistan's P-3C Maritime Patrol Aircraft during October 12-14. The team found no indications of tampering with the aircraft or the related systems. End Summary. ¶2. (S/NF) Ref A reported that on September 10 and 11, ODRP Chief discussed with Rear Admiral Tanveer Faiz, Deputy Chief of Operations of the Pakistan Navy, U.S. concerns about possible unauthorized Pakistani modifications to U.S.-provided Harpoon Block I missiles and P-3C maritime patrol aircraft. In response, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Noman Bashir authorized the U.S. to immediately conduct an inventory of the missiles. At an October 5 meeting, Faiz gave authorization for the U.S. to conduct an inventory of the P-3Cs. ¶3. (S/NF) During October 12-14, a three man team of aircraft experts from PMA-290 conducted the inspection of the P-3C aircraft at PNS Mehran navy base in Karachi. The Pakistan Navy currently has four P-3C aircraft in country. (Note: Pakistan acquired from the United States two P-3Cs in the 1990's and seven additional P-3Cs though an active FMS case. Two aircraft from the current case are in Pakistan, while the remaining five aircraft from the current case are in the United States undergoing maintenance. End Note.) ¶4. (S/NF) The PMA-290 team conducted an in-depth Enhanced End-Use Monitoring (EEUM) inspection of the four aircraft, which consisted of visual and functional checks of the Weapons Replaceable Unit, Data Decoder/Encoder, Control Distribution Box, Harpoon Interconnection Box, Harpoon Missile Control Panel, Data Processing Computer, as well as the aircraft wings and weapon-mounting points and all associated wiring. ¶5. (S/NF) The PMA-290 team found no indications of tampering with the aircraft or the related systems and observed that all the systems were original. Furthermore, the team observed that the current aircraft configuration would support only firing the Harpoon Block I missiles in a sea attack capacity as it was designed and is authorized. The aircraft would not support firing any missile in a land attack capacity. PATTERSON