The Biden management has authorized a $450 million F-sixteen fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan to assist it meet modern and destiny counterterrorism threats, in Washington’s first main safety help to Islamabad in 4 years. In 2018, Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had suspended about $2 billion in safety useful resource to Islamabad for failing to clamp down at the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network terror agencies and dismantle their secure havens withinside the country. In a notification to americaA Congress on Wednesday, the State Department stated it has authorized a probable overseas navy sale of F-sixteen case for sustainment and associated device for an anticipated fee of $450 million, arguing that this could maintain Islamabad’s functionality to fulfill modern and destiny counterterrorism threats with the aid of using preserving its F-sixteen fleet. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency brought the specified certification notifying the Congress of this feasible sale on Wednesday. “The United States Government has notified Congress of a proposed Foreign Military Sales case to maintain the Pakistan Air Force’s F-sixteen programme. Pakistan is an essential counterterrorism partner, and as a part of longstanding policy, the US gives existence cycle renovation and sustainment applications for US-beginning platforms,” a State Department spokesperson stated. “Pakistan’s F-sixteen programme is an essential a part of the wider United States-Pakistan bilateral relationship. The proposed sale will maintain Pakistan’s functionality to fulfill modern and destiny counterterrorism threats with the aid of using preserving its F-sixteen fleet. The F-sixteen fleet permits Pakistan to aid counterterrorism operations and we assume Pakistan to take sustained movement towards all terrorist agencies,” the spokesperson stated. According to the Congressional notification, the proposed sale does now no longer encompass any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions.
It stated that Pakistan has asked to consolidate previous F-sixteen sustainment and guide instances to guide the Pakistan Air Force F-sixteen fleet with the aid of using decreasing replica case sports and including extra persevered guide elements. The $450 million overseas navy sale to Pakistan participation in F-sixteen Aircraft Structural Integrity Programme, digital fight worldwide protection help programme, worldwide engine control programme, engine issue development programme, and different technical coordination groups; plane and engine hardware and software program changes and guide and plane and engine spare repair/go back parts. The Pentagon stated this proposed sale will guide the overseas coverage and country wide protection goals of america with the aid of using permitting Pakistan to preserve interoperability with US and accomplice forces in ongoing counterterrorism efforts and in practise for destiny contingency operations. “The proposed sale will preserve the sustainment of Pakistan’s F-sixteen fleet, which significantly improves Pakistan’s cappotential to guide counterterrorism operations via its strong air-to-floor capability. Pakistan will don’t have any issue soaking up those articles and offerings into its armed forces,” it stated. According to the Congressional notification, the proposed sale of this gadget and guide will now no longer regulate the primary navy stability withinside the region.
