US okays $450mn F-16 package to Pakistan

New Delhi, September 8

In Washington’s first major security assistance to Islamabad in four years, the Biden administration has approved a $450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment programme to Pakistan to help it meet counterterrorism threats.

In 2018, Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had suspended about $2 billion in security aid to Islamabad for failing to clamp down on the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network terror groups. The Foreign Office here, however, has not reacted so far to the Biden administration’s decision.

“Pakistan is an important counterterrorism partner, and as part of the longstanding policy, the United States provides life cycle maintenance and sustainment packages for US-origin platforms,” said a State Department spokesperson. “This will sustain Islamabad’s capability to meet current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet as well as support American foreign policy and national security objectives by allowing interoperability in the ongoing counterterrorism efforts and in preparation for future contingency operations,” said the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency in a note.

The proposed sale will not alter the military balance in the region, it added.

The funding will cover a dozen areas but none is related to new capability, munitions and weapons. Instead, they cover engineering, technical and logistical services most likely aimed at the bulk of Pakistan’s 75-odd F-16s that have reached the end of their technical lives.

The main contractor for the contracts will be Lockheed Martin, which in India has tied up with the Tatas to produce F-16 and F-21 wings.

US President Joe Biden has basically reversed the decision of his Republican predecessor Donald Trump who had stopped all defence and security assistance to Pakistan in 2018 alleging that it was not a sincere partner in its fight against terrorism.

Last time around in 2016 when the Obama Administration decided to sell eight F-16s to Pakistan, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who was then Foreign Secretary, had summoned the US Ambassador to India Richard Verma to express the government’s displeasure. sThe announcement of the sale came a day after senior officials from the US were here for a mid-sessional meeting of the Quad and a maritime security dialogue. — TNS

Says won’t alter military balance in region

• Proposed sale won’t alter military balance in region: Pentagon’s defence agency
• Donald Trump had stopped all aid to Pak in 2018 alleging it was not sincere in its fight against terrorism

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