It would be the largest US foreign military sale to the country since sanctions against Pakistan were lifted in late 2001 as a reward for supporting US forces fighting Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

Besides the Orion surveillance planes, Pakistan also has requested 2,000 TOW-2A anti-armor guided missiles and six Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems for Pakistani warships.

"The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region," the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency said in notifications that went to Congress November 16.

Although regarded as an indispensible US ally in the war on terror, nuclear-armed Pakistan also has longstanding military rivalry with neighboring nuclear-armed India, with which it has fought three wars since independence in

The Pentagon can conclude negotiations with Pakistan on the proposed sale unless Congress acts to stop it within 30 days.

The costliest items in the package are the P-3 aircraft, with an estimated value of 970 million dollars if all options are exercised, the Pentagon said.

"The command-and-control capabilities of these aircraft will improve Pakistan's ability to restrict the littoral movement of terrorists along Pakistan's southern border and ensure Pakistan's overall ability to maintain integrity of their borders," it said.

It said Pakistan intends to use them to develop "a long needed fleet of martime and border surveillance aircraft."

"The addition of these aircraft will provide Pakistan with search surveillance and control capability in support of maritime interdiction operations and increase their ability to support the US Operation Enduring Freedom operations," it said.

The P-3s also are designed to hunt ships and submarines and will enhance the "regional influence" of the Pakistani navy, it said.

The TOW anti-armor guided missiles were valued at 82 million dollars, while the Phalanx weapons systems were put at 155 million dollars.

The Pentagon said the TOW anti-armor guided missiles would help Pakistan "provide for its own legitimate self defense needs and to enable Pakistan to support US operations against terrorist activity along its porous borders."

"In addition, these missiles have most recently been employed in several global war on terrorism operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan and have allowed -- when coupled with Cobra attack helicopters -- the government of Pakistan to employ new tactics, techniques and procedures that have proven highly effective against terrorists," it said.

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