BANGKOK, Thailand (EPN) -- The United States is arming Thailand with F-16 warplanes and sophisticated air-to-air missiles while Russia is selling MiG-29 jet fighters to Burma's military regime, sparking concern over the two Southeast Asian rivals.

The situation is so volatile that Washington is keeping Thailand's eight Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) on U.S. soil even though Bangkok signed a deal in July to buy them for seven million dollars to arm its F-16s.

"The U.S. will deliver the AMRAAMs within 48 hours when the situation justifies it," said Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. "It is like having boats that need paddles, without which the boats will be useless."

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Mikhail Dmitryev meanwhile arrived in Burma heading a military delegation on Aug. 6 to sign an agreement and arms sales contracts.

The Russians' four-day trip was seen by some analysts as Moscow's effort to improve relations while countering China, Singapore, Israel and other nations which have sold weapons to the Burmese.

Burma, also known as Myanmar, needs whatever friends it can get.

The junta frequently accuses the United States and Europe of spying and arming terrorists against Burma under the guise of backing opposition political leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other democracy activists.

The United States cannot sell weapons to Burma because Washington enforces sanctions against the regime until Rangoon allows democracy and ends widespread violations of human rights.

Burma, crippled by poverty, will spend 130 million dollars to buy 10 MiG-29 fighter aircraft from Russia, according to a Jane's Defense Weekly report from Moscow.

The Russian warplanes are the most advanced interceptors ever purchased by Burma.

The MiG-29s apparently are to match some of the air force capability of Burma's neighbors, including Thailand, Bangladesh and India, which do not enjoy good relations with the military regime.

Burma also battles jungle-based minority ethnic guerrillas who either deal opium, heroin and methamphetamines in its northern Golden Triangle zone or who want independence.

Burma reportedly sent military personnel to Russia to train as pilots and maintenance crews to operate the MiG-29s.

The supersonic MiG-29 "Fulcrum" seats one pilot, and depending on configuration can launch powerful "beyond visual range" missiles which obliterate an enemy from far away, similar to the U.S. AMRAAMs.

In combat, however, the MiG-29 has a "subdued track record," according to the Fighter Tactics Academy which analyzes weapons systems.

"During the Gulf War, the only enemy fighter to be shot down by an Iraqi MiG-29 was another Iraqi fighter, a MiG-23 who happened to be the guy's wingman, and unfortunately the MiG-29 pilot hit the ground after killing it," the academy noted.

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) downed several MiG-29s during the Gulf War in air and on the ground.

"After the Gulf War, during the Northern Watch patrols over northern Iraq, a USAF F-16 downed a MiG-29 with an AMRAAM AIM-120 missile," the academy added.

Burma and Thailand fought devastating wars hundreds of years ago. In theory, Thailand's F-16s could one day face Burma's MiG-29s.

Thailand used F-16s in June to buzz Burmese forces and force them to retreat during border skirmishes in the drug-rich Golden Triangle.

The two predominately Buddhist nations are now trying to make nice and do business.

Thailand is America's closest ally in Southeast Asia.

Under a 1954 Manila Agreement and a 1962 Thanat-Rusk communique, both nations agreed to defend each other if attacked.

Nevertheless, Thailand's eight AMRAAMs will "remain stored in the United States," a U.S. Embassy official said in an interview.

To get the eight missiles, Bangkok must convince Washington "there is a threat that requires them to get their hands on the AMRAAMs," the embassy official added.

"They paid for them," but Thailand's request for delivery will be on a "case-by-case" basis, he said.

The white, finned AMRAAM AIM-120 is considered by many military experts to be the most important air-to-air missile in use by U.S. armed forces, and packs a 45-pound (20.25-kilogram) "blast fragmentation" warhead.

The 12-foot (3.6-meter) AMRAAM weighs 335 pounds (150.75 kilograms) and is used by NATO forces, including on German F-4, British Tornado and Sea Harrier warplanes.

Thailand's AMRAAM AIM-120s are prized by many nations, including nearby Taiwan, which demanded the missiles for its F-16s to ensure air supremacy against China.

"It is a very expensive system, but we can initially afford to buy eight missiles," said Thai Air Force Chief-of-Staff, Marshall Kongsak Vattana.

Next year, the U.S. and Thai air force will conduct "training in air weaponry systems," said Thai Air Force Commander-in-Chief ACM Pong Maneesilp.

AMRAAMs are specially designed for arming modern warplanes which use high-tech "pulse-Doppler radar systems with beam sharpening," which allows missiles to hit an enemy without first having to "lock on" to the target.

A warplane's pulse-Doppler enables a computer to download the target's general location into the missile's computer.

"The AMRAAM is a software-driven, radar-guided missile that gives pilots the ability to 'launch and leave' and to engage multiple targets during a single engagement," according to its Massachusetts-based manufacturer, Raytheon Systems Co.

"More than 10,000 missiles have been produced for U.S. and international customers," added Raytheon.

As an extra precaution, the missile's own radar switches on at the last possible moment, so the target won't be warned when the AMRAAM approaches at Mach 4 speed from up to 46 miles away.

"With its sophisticated avionics, high closing speed, and excellent end-game maneuverability, chances of escape from AMRAAM are minimal," said the Federation of American Scientists, which monitors U.S. weapons sales.

"In December 1992, an F-16 pilot fired the first AMRAAM in actual combat, shooting down a MiG-25 Foxbat during a confrontation over southern Iraq," the federation added.

The F-16 "Fighting Falcon," built by Lockheed Martin of Fort Worth, Texas, is NATO's standard warplane.

It is also in use in Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, Pakistan, Singapore, Turkey, Venezuela and other nations.

Israel used its F-16s to bomb Palestinian police stations on Aug. 26 in Gaza City and Salfir in the West Bank.

F-16s fly at speeds up to 2 Mach, or 1,490 mph (2,400 kph), and can be armed with cannon, missiles and bombs.

In the latest deal, Thailand paid 133 million dollars for 16 "refurbished" F-16s, which it will add to the "several squadrons" of F-16s Bangkok already possesses, the U.S. Embassy official said.

The used planes had been "sent to a bone yard in the United States" from where they were selected for sale to Bangkok's air force.

This newest batch of F-16s were expected to begin arriving in Thailand in the summer of 2002, he said.

The U.S. also recently sold a few Blackhawk helicopters, built by Connecticut-based Sikorsky Aircraft, to Thailand's army.

"The helicopters are for logistics, to move your people to the border," the U.S. Embassy official said.

"The key issue is border security. Counter-narcotics is just one of the elements" in addition to the problem of illegal immigrants, weapons smuggling and other activity, he said.

Thailand borders four nations -- Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia -- and to guard them requires the troop mobility Blackhawks can provide, the embassy official added.

It was unclear how heavily armed Thailand's Blackhawks will be.

The helicopters have been built for other customers to handle "Hellfire missiles, 2.75-inch rockets, Stinger missiles and various gun pods including 7.65mm, 20mm and 30mm cannon," according to Sikorsky.

Washington insists the Blackhawk helicopters are a win-win deal.

"This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country which has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in Southeast Asia," the U.S. Defense Department said.

"The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region," the department added.

Asked if the recent weapons purchases by Thailand and Burma symbolized an arms race, the U.S. Embassy official replied: "No, I don't know that. I cannot say that, I guess, because I'm not Thai and I'm not Burmese.

"I only know the Thai side, and what they are trying to do is to enhance their military within their budget."

Bangkok's purchase of AMRAAMs "happened to coincide with the Burmese and their purchase" of MiG-29s, but the American sale was agreed upon many months ago, he said.

Robert Karniol, the Bangkok-based Asia-Pacific editor of Jane's Defense Weekly said in an interview, "It isn't an arms race. Burma is simply keeping up with the neighborhood and the technology."

Karniol said Burma has two other frosty neighbors, Bangladesh and India, which also bought MiG warplanes from Russia.

In July, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican, Kentucky) warned Congress about Burma's MiG-29 purchase and said, "Tensions between the Thais and the [Burmese] junta have already spilled over into exchanges of gunfire and mortars.

"An escalation to an air war would be destabilizing to the entire region."

Thailand is one of the biggest regional buyers of U.S. weapons.

"Since 1987, the United States has shipped 3.4 billion dollars worth of arms to Thailand," the federation said.

U.S. weapons sales to Thailand included 107 M60A3 tanks with 105mm guns and tank thermal-sight capability, a Newport-class tank landing ship, a Knox-class frigate and McDonnell Douglas's Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

A 50 million dollar Westinghouse air defense system, plus anti-torpedo equipment and 120mm and 81mm mortars also formed part of the 14-year-long shopping list.

It included an estimated 40 million dollars worth of M-16A2 assault rifles, carbines, small arms and grenade launchers, and 30 million dollars for 97,969 machine guns, pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns, the federation added.

Russia meanwhile earlier supplied MI-17 helicopters to Burma and other weaponry, with mixed results.

In February, a Russian helicopter crashed killing one of Burma's most powerful generals along with 14 other passengers.

Earlier, Burma bought Pakistani mortars, machine guns and ammunition. Poland, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia and other nations have also supplied Burma with military hardware.

China has provided a vast array of weapons to Burma, including tanks, armored personnel carriers, anti-aircraft artillery, patrol boats and ammunition.

Before the MiG-29 sale, Burma reportedly depended on China for more than 40 Chengdu F-7M and Nanchang A-5C aircraft.