* Order drone comes despite U.S. - Pakistani tensions.
Talks on a separate order of UAV in final phase
* Cooperation on border Afghans never better-Mullen (adds, details comments)
By Phil Stewart
(ISLAMABAD, April 21, Reuters) - the United States will provide Pakistan with 85 small "Raven" drone aircraft, a military official U.S. told Reuters, a key step to meet Islamabad calls for access to U.S. drone technology.
The official, speaking Thursday on condition of anonymity, refused to disclose the cost of the non-lethal surveillance aircraft, short distance, which is manufactured by American AeroVironment Inc (AVAV.)(O).
A spokesman for the company, said the Raven is used by the U.S., including the Norway, the Spain and the Italy allies and is one of the planes without pilot used more widely in the world.
Communication is another sign more and U.S. military assistance, Pakistan a crucial if often tense ally in the U.S. fight against al-Qaida and insurgents attacker U.S. forces in nearby Afghanistan.
Pakistan should receive approximately 3 billion dollars in US military aid in the coming year.
On Wednesday, Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Army U.S. accused of intelligence of the country of having a relationship with Haqqani militants targeting forces us in Afghanistan.
The White House said in a report to the Congress published this month in Pakistan did not have a solid plan to defeat the militant Taliban and note its security forces are struggling to keep regions released veterans at great expense related to al-Qaida.
Still, the American military authorities also praised the increased efforts by the Pakistan army in recent years in the fight against insurgents and say cooperation at the tactical level on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border is greatly improved.
"It represents a level of coordination which is that it has never been better," Mullen said to journalists.
SHADOW UAVS?
The Raven, according to the website of the company, has a wingspan of only 1.4 (4.5 metres) and a weight of 1.9 kg (4.2 lb). It allows to provide in time real color or infrared imaging, giving troops the field ahead on the battlefield.
An official U.S. defence, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Raven drone order is separated from the U.S. plans to offer Pakistan surveillance drones has much more long-term, a proposal put forward by US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates during a visit to Pakistan in January 2010.
Offering Islamabad ravi at the time, but Pakistani officials say that these discussions were held to complaints regarding fees proposed by Washington and a slow timeline for delivery.
U.S. Defense official has proposed that the talks were nearing conclusion.
"We are in final discussions on which they really want." They think they want the shadows, "said the official of the U.S. defence."
Gates had offered at the origin of drones Pakistan 12 Shadow, manufactured by AAI Corporation, a unit of Textron Systems (TXT.)(N).
They are not militarized versions used by the CIA to follow and kill Taliban insurgents in Pakistan and al-Qaeda, but are strictly used for monitoring and the collection of information.
(Edited by Sophie hares)
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