WORLD AIR WAR HISTORY


 
  Pakistan   Pakistan Air Force (PAF) • Pak Fiza'ya • پاک فضائیه • پاک فضائیہ
Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Islāmī Jumhūrī-ye Pākistān اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان )

Pakistan Air Force  •  Naval Aviation  •  Army Aviation  •   •   •  Coast Guard  •   •  Other Aviation
< J-10 - F-16A /B - JF-17 - F-7PG/M/P - F-6 - Mirage III EP/EE /O/RP/DP - Mirage 5DF/PA/PA2/PA3/DPA2 - A-5C - saab2000-aew - RT-33A -- Falcon 20 -- Boeing 707- C-130E /B - F-27 -- CN-235M - Puma -- Alouette III - Lama - FT-5 - FT-6
AF NEWS  •  AF HISTORY

United States bowed to pressure from India

United States bowed to pressure from India

New Delhi While the US cleared billions of dollars’ worth arms sales to Pakistan for the fight against terror, including advanced F 16 fighters, it refused the sale of a crucial advanced missile technology due to concerns that it could be used to target India. A request by Islamabad to procure an advanced Harpoon missile system was turned down in 2009 after Washington determined that it would threaten India, latest diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal.

In a cable dated March 18, 2009, US Ambassador Anne W Patterson justified the sale of F 16 fighters to Pakistan, holding that it was not a threat as India has an overwhelming aerial superiority, and went on to say that Washington has occassionally denied “Pakistani requests for arms sales that could upset the regional balance of power”.

As an example, the cable quotes a decision taken in February 2009 turning down the request for the advanced Harpoon missile system. The reason given is that the new system would enable Pakistan to target the Indian coastline and would not have any use in the war against terror.

“We have and will deny arms sales that we believe would upset the regional balance of power, as we have with the recent GOP (Government of Pakistan) request to buy the Coastal Targeting Suppression System, which enables Harpoon missiles to be fired at land or near-land targets using GPS technology,” reads the cable titled “Saving the F 16 Program”.

The cable goes on to say that the “acquisition would have given Pakistan an overt offensive capability to threaten India and served no COIN (Counter Insurgency) purpose”.

India has on several occasions raised the issue of increasing arms sales to Pakistan with the US, with Defence Minister A K Antony bringing it to the attention of visiting high-level American officials. India has conveyed its concerns on the arms sales, holding that a range of equipment being sold or gifted is more useful in conventional warfare rather than the war against terror.

Other cables that have also been released recently bring out the dire state of Pakistan’s financial health and express concerns that Islamabad has been spending billions on arms despite facing bankruptcy. A cable dated January 2009 reveals that not only did Pakistan default in paying for the F-16 fighters that it ordered in 2006 but was also behind on payments to a crucial ally like China.

The payments, the cable says, were related to the JF 17 fighter project with China that has been touted as Pakistan’s flagship joint fighter development program. Pakistan also defaulted on payments for advanced airborne early warning systems from Sweden.

“The GOP is also reportedly behind in payments to China, Sweden and other countries for JF-17s, Erieye Airborne Early Warning And Control (AEW&C) radar and other aircraft/ programs,” reads the cable.

Source: By Manu Pubby - New Delhi, Posted: Jun 01, 2011
Photo Story: Pakistan Air Force, JF-17 Jet in Izmir Air Show [xairforces.net]


(24.06.2011)


 
Pakistan Air Force JF-17
PakAF J-10
PakAF F-16A Fighting Falcon
PakAF JF-17 Thunder
PakAF F-7PG (MiG-21) Skybolt
PakAF F-6 (MiG-19SF) Farmer C
Pakistan AF
Scheme
PakAF JF-17 Thunder
 

 
  CONTINENTAL NEWS:

American Air Force News
African Air Force News
Asian Air Force News
European Air Force News
Middle Eastern AF News
Ocean Air Force News


• U.S. arms supply to Pakistan on the rise

(27.03.2014)
US arms supply and fresh military aid to Pakistan has quietly gained momentum in the last one year, Congressional sources have said. The Pentagon, according to publicly available d...>>

• Paris Air Show 2013: Twin-seat FC-1/JF-17 breaks cover

(16.06.2013)
Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) revealed a twin-seat model of its Chengdu Aircraft Corporation FC-1 export fighter at the Paris Air Show 2013....>>

• Pakistan AF's modernization crippled by years of budget woes

(1.06.2013)
According to a report by the Senate’s standing committee on defense released Thursday, the Pakistan Air Force has suspended its upgrade and development plan due to a lack of funds....>>

• Many countries express interest in JF-17 Thunder

(24.05.2013)
Numerous countries are interested in obtaining a fighter jet jointly developed by Pakistan and China, said a senior officer of the Pakistan air force....>>

• Pakistan AF's modernization crippled by years of budget

(2.05.2013)
According to a report by the Senate’s standing committee on defense released Thursday, the Pakistan Air Force has suspended its upgrade and development plan due to a lack of funds....>>

• Iconic war veteran MM Alam passes away

(20.03.2013)
Celebrated war veteran air commodore (retd) Mohammad Mahmood Alam, popularly known as MM Alam, died in Karachi on Monday after a protracted illness. He was 78....>>

 




       info@xairforces.net Webmaster: REFLX DESIGN - © 2011 xairforces / Aviation Society,