Pakistan is procuring 500 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and 200 Sidewinder missiles from American defence and aerospace systems supplier Raytheon, the company said on Friday.

Pakistan has formally signed a letter of offer and acceptance with Raytheon to get 500 AIM-120 AMRAAM and 200 AIM-9M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. This will be the first procurement agreement between the two.

'The combined $284 million procurement augments Pakistan's established inventory and will provide the bulk of the air-to-air fire power of the Pakistan Air Force,' the company said in a statement in Washington.

'This is the largest single purchase of AMRAAM missiles in the history of the AMRAAM international programme,' said Brock McCaman, vice-president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Air-to-Air product line.

The delivery of the missiles is expected to start in 2008 and go through until 2011.

Last June, the Pentagon announced a major package for Islamabad under the Foreign Military Sales Programme that included 60 F-16 Mid-Life Update Modification Kits and Falcon Star Structural Service Life Enhancement Kits, $151 million for modifications to 14 F100-PW-220E engines for F-16s and a USD 650 million sale of AMRAAMs, AIM-9s and 500 Joint Direct Attack Munitions.

From a military and operational point of view, it is being pointed out that the AMRAAM missiles will allow a pilot to target an enemy aircraft that are beyond their visual range in day or night, and in all weather.

The AMRAAM has an autonomous guidance capability, which allows the pilot to maneuver immediately after missile launch. This system is now in use in 32 countries, according to Raytheon.