Biden administration in the US has agreed to the potential sales of sustainability and related equipment to increase the Pakistani F-16 fighter fleet, in an agreement worth up to $ 450 million, Pentagon said in a statement. The agreement, however, will not include “new capabilities, weapons, or ammunition” for aircraft which are the main fighters of the Pakistani Air Force, even though they have a greater number of JF-17. In 2019, Pakistan has used the same aircraft to target India after the Balakot strike and use the Amraam AIM-120 C-5 provided .
This missile has a higher ability than the R-77 medium range used by the Su-30 MKI and Mika used by the Indian Air Force mirage at that time. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency submitted the necessary certification that told the US Congress about the possibility of sales Wednesday after Pakistan asked to consolidate cases of previous F-16 sustainability and supported to maintain the Pakistan F-16 F-16 fleet.
Included in increasing are US government services and contractors, technical and logistical services for further support from the Pakistan F-16 fleet. This also includes modification and support of hardware and machine software and machine software as well as repair and return of jet and machine spare parts, software and software support that is classified and not classified.
Pentagon’s statement added that the proposed sales will support foreign policy and the national security objective of the United States by allowing Pakistan to “maintain the interoperability with the US and partner troops” in the ongoing counterterrorism effort and in preparation for future contingencies operations. He also said that the proposed sales would continue the sustainability of the country’s F-16 fleet, which “greatly enhances Pakistan’s ability to support the operation of counterterrorism through strong air-to-land capabilities”. This increase is part of US military assistance to Pakistan under policies where he has been selling and enhancing F-16 since the 1980s despite the open support of the country to the Taliban and the Haqqani network and the use of terrorism as a state policy for India.
It was in 1981 when the US agreed to sell Jet F-16 to Pakistan after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The idea is to use this aircraft to involve Soviet and Afghanistan jet which periodically crosses the border to bomb the Mujahideen training camp. Foreign policies and national war websites on Batu reported that between 1986 and 1990, Pakistan F-16 shot down at least 10 Afghan and Soviet jets, helicopters, and transportation aircraft. However, in the 1990s, the program failed because of American concerns about the Pakistani nuclear program which forced Washington to withstand the 28 F-16 shipping paid by Pakistan around $ 658 million.
Everything takes more turn after 9/11 when Pakistan joined the American war against terror. The US again sold 18 Advanced Block 52 F-16 with a price of around $ 1.4 billion, and targeted the POG and POD Electronic War. Not only that, the US also sells a middle-aged upgrade kit for 53 older Pakistani F-16 models, which makes it capable like the 52 aircraft block version. Turkey, who also flew the F-16 jet, increased the Pakistan fighter aircraft, War on the Rocks reported.