A $450 million package to maintain Pakistan’s F-16s

The United States is offering Pakistan a $450 million package

To maintain its F-16 fighter jets, according to a US defense official.The proposal would include upgrading Pakistan’s fleet to the latest configuration of F-16, training for Pakistani military personnel and F-16 maintenance and support, the official said.

Congress has 30 days to review the proposal, during which time the US would be prohibited from selling Pakistan any defense equipment. The US official said that based on past experience it’s unlikely Congress will object.

In January 2016, a previous sale of eight new F-16s was blocked by Congress after lawmakers objected to Pakistan’s payment arrangement.”The United States is offering Pakistan a $450 million package to maintain its F-16 fighter jets, according to a US defense official.

The United States is offering Pakistan a $450 million package to maintain its F-16 fighter jets, according to a US defense official.Pakistan has purchased some two dozen F-16s beginning in 1981 as part of a program that eventually included more than 600 F-16s purchased by other countries.

The deal will include spare parts, support and training for the aircraft’s pilots and maintainers, as well as maintenance crews at Pakistan’s base in Kamra near Islamabad.The proposal would include upgrading Pakistan’s fleet to the latest configuration of F-16s,

Training for Pakistani military personnel and F-16 maintenance and support, the official said.The proposal would include upgrading Pakistan fleet to the latest configuration of F-16s, training for Pakistani military personnel and F-16 maintenance and support, the official said.

The proposed deal comes at a time when Washington is trying to get Islamabad to crack down on terrorist groups operating in Pakistan, which has a large fleet of these aircraft.

Pakistan currently uses Block 15 F-16s that were procured by Islamabad in 1985 under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program that involved selling advanced weapons systems to friendly nations at discounted rates as part of Cold War policy towards Moscow’s influence over Asia.

Congress has 30 days to review the proposal, during which time the US

Would be prohibited from selling Pakistan any defense equipment. The US official said that based on past experience it’s unlikely Congress will object.The US is offering Pakistan a $450 million package to maintain its F-16 fighter jets, which are believed to number around 100 aircraft.

The proposal would include upgrading the fleet to the latest configuration of F-16s and training for Pakistani military personnel in the United States, according to a US official.

It also includes maintenance & support costs for those planes, as well as funding for equipment such as radars, communication systems and weapons sensors (e.g., FLIR).In January 2016, a previous sale of eight new F-16s was blocked

By Congress after lawmakers objected to Pakistan’s payment arrangement.In January 2016, a previous sale of eight new F-16s was blocked by Congress after lawmakers objected to Pakistan’s payment arrangement.

Pakistan had agreed to pay for the jets in installments over four years and had already paid $300 million as part of that deal. The new contract would have added another $450 million before the aircraft were delivered in 2022.

The Obama administration argued that it was necessary for Islamabad to purchase these new planes because their older fleet was aging out quickly and needed replacement sooner rather than later.

But many Republicans in Congress opposed any more military aid from Washington; they argued that Pakistan could afford them on its own terms rather than having America subsidize its defense budget with taxpayer dollars and risk maintaining defensive alliances with other countries like NATO or Russia (which both count among their members).

Pakistan originally purchased some two dozen F-16s beginning in 1981

As part of a program that eventually included more than 600 F-16s purchased by other countries.pakistan originally purchased some two dozen F-16s beginning in 1981 as part of a program that eventually included more than 600 F-16s purchased by other countries.

The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) has been struggling to replace its aging fleet and has been trying to purchase new aircraft for several years, but the budget constraints have made this difficult.

In 2015, Pakistan submitted an unsolicited bid for up to 100 F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corp., which was selected over rival bidder BAE Systems PLC’s Eurofighter Typhoon instead. However, negotiations with Lockheed Martin have stalled due to disagreements over price and technology transfer issues between the U.S.-based defense contractor and Islamabad.*

The latest proposed sale comes amid

unprecedented tensions with Pakistan Over that country’s alleged support for militant groups fighting US forces in Afghanistan.The latest proposed sale comes amid unprecedented tensions with Pakistan over that country’s alleged support for militant groups fighting US forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistan is a key ally in the fight against terrorism, which has claimed thousands of lives since 9/11. While it has suffered many terrorist attacks, including major ones like Mumbai and Peshawar,

It has also been a key ally in fighting terrorism as well as providing intelligence on extremists who target both countries.This sale shows that both sides still have some interest in working together despite recent tensions.

This sale shows that both sides still have some interest in working together despite recent tensions. Pakistan’s F-16s are a crucial part of its defense strategy, and the US has been a major supplier of military equipment to Pakistan for decades.

The proposed sale is not new; it was first announced by Secretary of Defense James Mattis back in 2016 and then again last year when Trump approved $900 million for anti-ballistic missile defense systems after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping failed to produce any results regarding North Korea’s nuclear program.

The recent tensions between Washington and Islamabad are not the only reason why this package has gone forward at this time—there were also negotiations among other countries before it landed on Capitol Hill.

Conclusion

The proposed sale of F-16s would be the latest in a series of efforts that have seen cooperation between the two countries increase. The US has provided Pakistan with $1.5 billion in aid since 2002, including economic assistance and military hardware. In January 2016, a previous sale of eight new F-16s was blocked by Congress after lawmakers objected to Pakistan’s payment arrangement.