Pakistan to get two F-16s by year end
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Sept 9, IRNA
Pakistan-Fighter Planes
Pakistan will get two US F-16 fighters by the end of the current year under a landmark arms deal, visiting Senior Vice President of Business Development of Lockheed Martin Corporation, Robert Rice said here Friday.
He made the announcement in a meeting with Senior Federal Minister and Minister for Defence, Rao Sikandar Iqbal, an official statement said.
Rice informed the minister that the Congress would hopefully approve the provision of 75 F-16 aircraft to Pakistan.
The minister told Rice that relations between Pakistan and the US were moving in the right direction and with the provision of aircraft to Pakistan by United States the bonds of friendship between the two countries would be further strengthened, the statement said.
The US said in March it would resume sales - suspended by an embargo imposed in 1990 over Islamabad's nuclear weapons programme.
The F-16s are seen as a reward for support Pakistan has given for the US-led war on al-Qaeda.
India, which has fought three wars with Pakistan, has said the deal upsets the balance of power in the region.
Pakistan already has about 30 F-16 fighters, delivered before the embargo, but was anxious to increase its fleet.
Pakistan says the jets were "being provided to Pakistan from the ready available stock" at a "very nominal" cost.
Some media reports have said Pakistan wants 25 of the planes about $25m each.
In March, President Musharraf said it wanted as many as it could afford.
Relations between Pakistan and the US have improved greatly since 9/11/2001.
The US lifted its arms embargo shortly afterwards and now says Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally.
India has criticized the F-16 sales, saying they will disturb the regional balance of power and hinder its own peace moves with Pakistan.
2020/235/1414
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
