The US government has agreed to sell F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan and it would initially provide 18 out of total 70 demanded by Pakistan. This was stated by Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, Chief of Staff Pakistan Air Force (PAF), at a press briefing in the media centre of Karachi Expo Centre on Tuesday.
He said that this is first success of attempts made by Pakistan during last two decades which was blocked by the West due to sanctions and political reasons. He said that access to get high-tech fighter aircraft was denied to Pakistan during last 20 years.
Earlier sale of 70 F-16s, which were due to be delivered in late 1980s, was cancelled by the US due to sanctions imposed on Pakistan. It is now after 9/11 that the USA agreed to sell F-16 aircraft.
Talking about the other options to meet the hi-tech aircraft needs of PAF he said that the other hi-tech jets being viewed include Grippen aircraft of Sweden and F-10 Chinese aircraft, but the selection of aircraft would be in accordance with the Air Force requirements. Pakistan will also get two C-130 aircraft for which order was placed in 2003.
He said that JF-17 'Thunder' aircraft, being produced jointly by China and Pakistan, would be inducted into PAF and People's Liberation Army Airforce by December 2006. Both airforces would take eight jets each whose performance and weapons system is better than Mirage-3 and Mirage-5 aircraft.
Two prototype of the aircraft have been manufactured and are being tested by Pakistani pilots in China. The serial production of JF -17 would take ten to fifteen years, he added.
The Air Chief Marshal Saadat said that PAF had been a trend-setter by first using Korakaram-8 aircraft which were later demanded by Sri Lanka, Egypt and Bangladesh. The aircraft was handed to PAF in 1994.
He said that the maintenance cost of PAF and reliance on foreign resources had been greatly reduced by the achievements made by Aeronautical Complex, Kamra, and Air Weapon Complex and Precision Engineering Complex.
Efforts are being made to manufacture all components and spares in the country because their supplies are affected with change in political conditions or due to the closure of companies manufacturing parts of old aircraft.
He said that about 400 Super Mashshak, built at Kamra, had been exported to Oman, Syria and Saudi Arabia in addition to their use by PAF and Pakistan Army. The value of deal with Saudi Arabia for Super Mashshak is worth $34 million with three years logistic, spares and training arrangements.
The aircraft has also been certified for commercial use and hence commercial organisations can also acquire these aircraft.
To a query he said that the US Airforce had been allowed to use the PAF forward base in Jacobabad. Such type of bases are used by PAF during emergencies. Anyway, Pakistan was free to make any deployment at the base during 2003 stand-off with India. He said that he did not know how long the US forces would remain there.
With regard to the PAF's role in fight against terrorism Kaleem Saadat said that whenever Pakistan Army sought airforce help the PAF is bound to follow the government's policy. He said that PAF help is sought for action in areas which are inaccessible by land.
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