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PAE awarded $27.6M contract for Afghanistan defense, security support

By Allen Cone
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan walks with military members in Afghanistan on Monday. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Defense
Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan walks with military members in Afghanistan on Monday. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Defense

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- PAE Government Systems Inc. was awarded $27.6 million to provide contractor logistic support efforts for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

Work on the U.S. Army contract, announced Thursday by the Pentagon, will be performed in Hikia, Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 30, 2022. Army fiscal 2019 other procurement funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of award.

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PAE Government Systems Inc. is based in Arlington, Va.

The secretary of state determines approves foreign military sales and informs the U.S. Congress.

The purpose of the fund is "to provide assistance to the security forces of Afghanistan to include the provision of equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and infrastructure repair, renovation and construction, and funding," according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

The United States has been training and equipping the Afghan military and security forces since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan following the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan made a surprise visit Monday to Afghanistan.

On Thursday, he discussed with NATO defense chiefs in Brussels how to increase support for Afghan national defense and security forces while putting "even more pressure on the Taliban."

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President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan after deciding to withdraw all troops from Syria.

But he said there is no official order to draw down troops and it wouldn't be done without consulting allies.

"There will be no unilateral troop reduction," Shanahan told reporters in Brussels. "That was one of the messages of the meeting today. We'll be coordinated. We're together."

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