Why can’t US/european companies just not design a cheap/rugged workhorse of a helicopter/transport?

I genuienly think Europe cannot make anything cheap or rugged.

So many factors mitigate against that.

Labour costs, joint collaboration (thus duplication), high specifications from user air forces etc.

Wow! What clever chaps those cunning ISI lot are. Keeping his location secret. Glad the CIA dont read Yahoo News, otherwise its curtains for the Pakistanis.

What a load of old Bull…

Lt. Col. Jeffry Glenn, an Air Force spokesman, said Pakistan will receive 700 kits capable of converting 500-pound traditional bombs into laser-guided munitions, as well as 300 kits that can be used with larger 2,000-pound bombs.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/lgb-fam.gif

Pic of PAF and USAF crews entering KC-135

http://islamabad.usembassy.gov/pr-10030407.html

Egypt mulls JF-17 co-production and signs for more F-16s

Cairo is in talks with Pakistan to begin joint production of JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft, Jane’s understands from Egyptian defence industry sources.

http://jdw.janes.com/public/jdw/index.shtml

For more from link below:

Full Story

Excellent news for Thunder. Especially if Eygpt goes for French Radar/Missile combo. Will enable PAF to have lower cost for our own birds.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be paying the United States atleast $78 million to acquire a 30 year old Oliver Perry class frigate.

The first 30 year old frigate is expected to sail for Karachi by the end of this year as Pakistan continues to negotiate for acquiring five more Oliver Perry class frigates from the US.

Sources in Pakistan Navy told DawnNews that the 30 year old frigate, USS McInerney, was put on the US Navy’s inactivation list September last year. It will fly the Pakistani flag after retirement in September this year.

Pakistani sources said that frigate is a gift from US and will fly Pakistani flag as cost-efficient “hot-transfer” but US Defence Security Department in a notification to Congress said the frigate and its associated equipment, parts and logistical support will be worth atleast $78 millions.

This transfer would be done through the US International Programs Office and its foreign military sales department.

Once transferred to Pakistan, the ship will also join Combined Task Force aimed at fighting sea pirates in the troubled waters of the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

USS McInerney’s onboard refurbishment includes anti-submarine missile defences, surface-to-surface missiles, other advance weaponry systems and with helicopter deck landing facilities.—DawnNews

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/12-pakistan+to+pay+78+mn+for+30+year+old+frigate–bi-07

Generally, yes, I agree. A fleet of lorries can probably move heavy gear quicker internally than a few C-17s or even An-124s. And much cheaper.

But a couple of quibbles:

Firstly, Saudi Arabia only has a railway from Riyadh to Dammam, so one can’t really say it has an excellent rail network. But yes, an excellent road network.
Secondly, why use C-130s to move troops when there are plenty of good runways, capable of taking ordinary passenger aircraft? Military freighters are best used for military freight, unless you need to deliver troops quickly (i.e. quicker than they can drive there) into forward locations where there are only rough or short strips.

OK, good point. Even if they did want to transport troops by air, their C-130 and Saudi Airlien fleet could do it just as well as gold plated C-17s right?