"The United States has approved the sale of advanced technology and upgrades for Pakistan's F-16 fighter planes worth approximately $686m. The deal was struck amid simmering tensions between Pakistan and its neighbour, India, which engaged in a five-day war following a rebel attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in May this year. The US recently pressured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to buy more weapons from it."
"Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst at the Brussels-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that the latest approval is part of a 2022 maintenance deal the US agreed in 2022 to sustain Pakistan's fleet of F-16s. The F-16 deal remains a key part of the broader US-Pakistan bilateral relationship, which is why there has been continuity from President Biden to President Trump, despite some delays."
The United States approved about $686 million of advanced technology and upgrade support for Pakistan's F-16 fleet. The approval forms part of a 2022 maintenance agreement to sustain roughly 70–80 operational F-16s, including upgraded Block 15s, former Jordanian jets, and Block 52+ models. The package includes hardware and software upgrades, navigation and electronic systems enhancements, an Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, spare parts, and repairs. US officials cite the fleet's utility in joint counterterrorism operations. The approval followed regional tensions with India and concurrent US efforts to encourage greater Indian purchases of US weaponry.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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