The Zulus are best let go - unless they are given the same way as they were ordered.
But the equipment on them is outdated by what PA needs and they need funds to be made ready and initiated - to make up for lost time and knowledge - which frankly PA doesn’t have resources to spare for.
However, stranger things have happened
Wasn’t there some kind of signal vis a vi the US ambassador’s speech at the Pakistani Embassy in DC, a couple of weeks ago, with regardless to Arms sales?
I ask because, while it would take a lot of resources to induct, if relations do a turn to allow the transfer of those paid for those
15 AH-1Zs, Then whose to say Pakistan can extend that opening and try to seek hot transfers of excess defense articles (within the Trump administration’s term) , which after some refurbishment could fill out the aspiration of Army Aviation, within our budget costs.
Current at the boneyard, there are
14 AH-1S (good for use as spares or to augment for our ~
45 AH-1F fleet),
19 AH-1Z just retired from the USMC (with another
8 somewhere else) and
100 AH-1W. (The Turkish Cirit has been certified on the AH-1W, so it could make it an ideal platform for shooting down shahed style drones, in support of our Saudi Allies, should things flare up again)
This is also not to mention
17 upgraded AH-1F (to the T-129 standard) with the Bahraini Air Force, which could be sought. Jordan has another
12 upgraded AH-1F (plus possibly another
20 more non-upgraded AH-1F in their stocks). Turkey may also have up to
32 AH-1F in various states of upgrade in their stocks as well.
That covers the attack choppers. On the transport side, at the boneyard, there are
21 UH-1Y (plus
8 somewhere else, also just retired from the USMC), and
49 UH-1N. Pakistan already has
25 Bell 412EP, so refurbished Hueys could fit into Army Aviation with some TLC.
I’m not saying all or even most of these aircraft could be brought to full service, but with some diplomacy, it can’t hurt to go window shopping and if the option is open… spend some diplomatic currency if this seems a worthy of our doctrine, especially in COIN. Which, IMHO, will need to be stepped up as developments along the Iranian border (vis a vi 3rd party agitation may pick up; support for the BLA, et.al. )
Considering these birds would be more suited for the COIN role, it could be marketed at support in the CT role.
Summary of what could be out there, including what we paid for already:
42 AH-1Z
95 AH-1F
100 AH-W
29 UH-1Y
49 UH-1N
Heck there are
18-20 CH-53D in the boneyard. Even if the PAA can get 8-12 out of there in flying condition and refurbish them it would make for a very capable heavy lift capability, more so than chinooks, of which there are none in the boneyard.
IMHO, If we could pick up just the 100 AH-1W and all 78 transports, all twin engines and more likely to be survivable, put them through heavy refurbishment and modest comms, sensor, defenses and Weapons upgrades, it would go a long way in our COIN force.
en.wikipedia.org
