NEWS:
As per reports in the Pakistani media, the US Congress has stalled a planned sale of eight new F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. The Obama Administration had informally notified Congress of its intention to sell eight F-16s to Pakistan during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Washington in October last year. The administration followed it up with a formal notification of “foreign military financing” to fund the sale in December. The Obama Administration is reported to be keen on selling these aircraft to Pakistan. At recent Congressional hearings, key US lawmakers raised a host of questions about the end use of the F-16 aircraft and about US relationship with Pakistan. Many lawmakers in Congress not only opposed arms sales to Pakistan but often urge the US administration to sever its ties with Islamabad.

VIEWS:
Established on August 14, 1947, when Pakistan gained independence, today, on its inventory, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has 20 combat squadrons with around 500 aircraft. The fighter fleet consists of a mix of types including the ageing French Mirage III and Mirage V, the F-7 which is a version of the MiG-21 built under licence in China, the JF-17 Thunder, a third-generation platform which is a product of collaborative effort between China and Pakistan and the latest induction into the fleet and last of all the F-16 from Lockheed Martin Corporation of the United States.

The PAF has been quite familiar with American equipment and technology having operated the F-86 Sabres, the F-104 Starfighter and the B-57 Canberra earlier on during the wars against India in 1965 and 1971. Induction of the F-16 into the PAF that commenced in the mid-1980s was both logical and easy for the PAF. The F-16 boosted significantly its operational capability. On account of the policy of the successive governments in the US to continue to support Pakistan, the PAF was able to undertake midlife upgrade of the F-16 fleet as well as periodically received the latest models of this platform including the F-16C/D Block 50/52 that helped it to sustain its operational prowess.

However, the situation appears to be changing a little as despite the desire of the Obama Administration to provide the additional eight F-16 fighter jets to the PAF, the US Congress has blocked the efforts of the Pakistan Government to have this deal pushed through. In November last year, the Obama Administration had announced the intention to supply additional eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan through the foreign military sales programme of the US Government. A formal notification to this effect was issued in December last year. The move by the Congress to now block the sale of the F-16 aircraft reflects the growing anti-Pakistan sentiments in some sections of the US Government. Strong attacks on Pakistan and its policies are often witnessed during congressional hearings.

However, despite the reservations that the Congress may have, there is still a strong possibility that the impediment may turn out to be temporary as the Obama Administration appears to be determined to see the deal through. As a result, there may only be a brief period of uncertainty hovering over the deal. In fact, some observers find the move by the Congress to impede the process of sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan somewhat incongruous especially as the bilateral relations between the two nations appear to be on even keel. They are of the view that relations between the two nations began improving since mid-2014 when at the behest of the US Government, the Pakistan Army launched counter-insurgency operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Also, in October last year, President Obama had hosted a visit by Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan. This was followed by a visit to the US in November last year by General Raheel Sharif, Chief of Army Staff, Pakistan Army. Both the visits are reported to have gone off well.

However, some other analysts are of the view that since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan at the end of 2014, Washington’s influence has been diminishing. Besides, what ought to be of greater concern to the US is the fact that Pakistan is now fully integrated with China’s geostrategic and economic vision.

Since the US has been supporting Pakistan militarily for over five decades, sale of another eight aircraft to Pakistan is of little significance. What would be of greater concern to India is the collaboration between Pakistan and China in the regime of military aerospace industry through which Pakistan has set up the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, an elaborate facility that has been manufacturing military aircraft. This facility has successfully produced the JF-17 Thunder of which the PAF plans to induct in large numbers, reportedly 250. This fleet will replace the Mirage III and V platforms as also the F-7 and will be the mainstay for the PAF for some time to come. China is also set to supply the Chengdu J-10, a light-weight, single-engine, multirole, stealth fighter that has an uncanny resemblance to the F-16. This may be followed in due course by the Chengdu J-20, a fifth-generation, twin-engine stealth fighter that resembles the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter. With the passage of time, the F-16 being of 1970s vintage in any case, may become less relevant for the PAF!