18 Fighting Falcons Will Eventually Be In Service With The
Pakistani Air Force
The Air Force is set to deliver the first of 18 new F-16
Fighting Falcon jet fighters to the Pakistani air force in a sign
of deepening relations between the United States and Pakistan.
Three F-16s are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on June 26, with
15 more to be delivered later this year and next, Air Force Maj.
Todd Robbins, the Pakistan country director in the office of the
undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs, said in
an interview with American Forces Press Service. "This is the most
visible part of a strong and growing relationship between the two
air forces that will benefit us both near-term and long-term,"
Robbins said.
This sale of F-16s to Pakistan renews new aircraft sales that
existed between the United States and Pakistan in the 1980s, but
were halted in the 1990s. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and
other U.S. military and civilian leaders have spoken out about "not
repeating the mistakes" of the U.S. halt in relations with Pakistan
in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In March, the United States and
Pakistan held their first ministerial-level strategic dialogue
here, co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and
Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi. High-level
officials from both governments participated in the dialogue,
including Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
Gates said then that the talks included discussion of "how we
can help Pakistan in dealing with the security challenges that face
them, but also face us and NATO as well." The two countries held
follow-up meetings in Pakistan in early June that focused on
improving military-to-military relations and security cooperation,
officials said.
Relations with Pakistan improved after Sept. 11, 2001, Robbins
said, "and this is just one very tangible example of the currently
strong and growing relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the
Pakistan air force and, in the larger context, between the United
States and Pakistan." The F-16 is a multirole jet fighter sold to
24 countries around the world, according to its manufacturer,
Lockheed Martin. The 18 being sold to Pakistan are the Block 52
versions of the aircraft, Robbins said, which will give Pakistan
new capabilities, including day-night, all-weather and
precision-attack capabilities.
"They've not had [these capabilities] before, so this is a major
milestone in the U.S. providing this capability, which older models
[of F-16s] don't have," he said. "This will enable them to strike
terrorists within their borders while helping them to avoid
collateral damage. It's an increase in capabilities that are
beneficial to us all."
Pakistan is paying $1.4 billion for the 18 new aircraft, in
addition to $1.3 billion in upgrades to its existing F-16 fleet,
which are to begin being delivered in 2012, Robbins said. The Air
Force also is training Pakistan air force pilots. The first eight
recently completed training with the Arizona National Guard in
Tucson, with additional training done by Lockheed Martin, Robbins
said. The Air Force also is training Pakistanis in night-attack
training and recently completed training for four instructors and
five flight leads, he said.