The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mehmood Ahmad, has unfolded a three-year $3 billion up-gradation and modernisation programme of the Pakistan Air Force under which it would get 44 more hi-tech F-16s along with their supporting hardware, weapon system, avionics and back-ups.
He was addressing his maiden news conference at PAF Headquarters here on Monday after taking over command of the Pakistan Air Force in March 2006, and his recent visits to the United States and China for the purchase of hi-tech aircraft and other avionics.
Air Chief Marshal Tanvir said that in order to maintain a minimum credible deterrence in the region, Pakistan is buying 18 F-16s CNB model, block 52 along with very essential hardware and weapons at a cost of $2 billion from the United States.
Additionally, he said there is a requirement to upgrade and enhance the operational capability of the existing 34 F-16s, bought in 1982-83 to a level where they are supportable world-wide otherwise these aircraft would become obsolete operationally and difficult to retain logistically.
He said the US government has agreed to hand over 28 F-16s to Pakistan which were manufactured for Pakistan in 1990s and Pakistan had paid $650 million in advance for these planes, but the US had withheld their delivery imposing sanctions on Pakistan.
He said it was a great diplomatic victory for Pakistan that despite paying back the $650 million advance money, the United States has now agreed to give delivery of these 28 F-16s to PAF at a nominal price after up-gradation of their operational capability.
"Two of these F-16s have already arrived in Pakistan and the rest 26 will join the PAF fleet in about 15 to 18 months", he happily announced.
He said that up-gradation of the existing 32 F-16s and purchase of the 28 old but operationally upgraded aircraft would cost $1 billion, but they would be very effective "key punch" and front teeth of the PAF.
Air Chief Marshal Tanvir said: "These pieces of hardware are not available in the international market, they take time to produce, but when you sign the contract you only pay 5 to 10 percent of the total amount."
He said that 18 new F-16s will take three years to start getting manufactured and being delivered to PAF while the existing 34 F-16s may take 7 to 8 years or may be more for up-gradation and modernisation.
The Air chief said that normally Air Forces of other countries do not retain their aero planes for more than two and a half decades but the PAF is still retaining its three to four decades-old planes. "The Mirages that came in 1967 and 1974 are still the major part of PAF fleet and they shall continue to be on our inventory for a couple of more years", he added.
Speaking about purchase of new F-16s, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir said: "They are vastly different from the old ones; they are bigger in size, carry more fuel; have the ability to carry more weapons, their radars are totally different, their engines are totally new, their avionics are totally new, they have the full capability of fighting in a network centric warfare, they can reach far off distances, and combatible with any hi-tech aero plane in the world today."
The Air chief said: "We are also very much aware of the force multipliers such as air-borne early warning systems and have recently concluded a contract for the purchase of air-borne early warning and remote system.
"In a modest way, we have also signed a small contract to have other force multiplier the air-borne refueler, not only to get that capability but also to provide training to our air and ground crew in that particular regime", he added.
He said: "The ratio of PAF to Indian Air Force (IAF) has traditionally been 1 to three, today we have 300 planes and they have over 900 planes.
"The numbers of IAF aircraft have never over-awed us or bothered us, it is the technological edge that we have enjoyed and it is the edge in the training and morale of the PAF personnel which we have always attained that have done us wonders in the past and that is our strength in future also", he emphasised.
He said: "The PAF is not dependent on one source of supply of weapons, we are diversified since the JF-17 aircraft that we are co-producing with the help of our Chinese friends, will be a major backbone of the Pakistan Air Force in future."
With regard to the possibility of US sanctions in future, the PAF chief said: "the environment has changed from the days of 1990s and the US administration talks clearly about the long-term strategic partnership with Pakistan, and I am sure they have also learnt from their experience in the past and will make no mistake in future."
He said: " The Pakistan Air Force is the only air force in the world which is engaged in the designing and manufacturing of the aircraft industry since we lack hi-tech industrial base in the country."
About carrying of nuclear war heads, the Air Chief said since it is a very sensitive area, we have never relied upon any particular aircraft, but our own indigenous capability and we shall continue to retain our indigenous capability, we don't need have this capability from anyone outside."
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