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US seeks boost to Pakistan F-16s | US seeks boost to Pakistan F-16s |
(20 minutes later) | |
The US has confirmed it hopes to use $230m of its $300m military funding to Pakistan in 2008 on upgrading the country's ageing F-16 fighter jets. | |
A report in the New York Times said some US Congressmen were dismayed, saying the jets did not help counter-terrorism operations. | A report in the New York Times said some US Congressmen were dismayed, saying the jets did not help counter-terrorism operations. |
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino confirmed the upgrade but insisted the jets were for counter-terrorism use. | White House spokeswoman Dana Perino confirmed the upgrade but insisted the jets were for counter-terrorism use. |
The move is sure to anger Pakistan's key rival India, analysts say. | The move is sure to anger Pakistan's key rival India, analysts say. |
The New York Times reported that the timing of the move had caught legislators off guard. | The New York Times reported that the timing of the move had caught legislators off guard. |
Some believed it might be linked to the visit to Washington next week of new Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Times said. | Some believed it might be linked to the visit to Washington next week of new Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Times said. |
Speaking later on Thursday, Ms Perino said: "The F-16s that they [Pakistan] have are used in counter-terrorism operations. We made them available to the Pakistanis and they need to be maintained." | Speaking later on Thursday, Ms Perino said: "The F-16s that they [Pakistan] have are used in counter-terrorism operations. We made them available to the Pakistanis and they need to be maintained." |
She said Pakistan was under financial pressure because of rising food and other prices. | She said Pakistan was under financial pressure because of rising food and other prices. |
In 2007, US lawmakers specified that military funding to Pakistan should be for counter-terrorism or law enforcement. | In 2007, US lawmakers specified that military funding to Pakistan should be for counter-terrorism or law enforcement. |
The planes have been used by Pakistan in counter-terror operations, but only rarely. | |
The New York Times quoted state department officials as saying the upgrades would enhance the jets' capacity to hit insurgents accurately. | |
Air superiority | |
Pakistan currently operates a fleet of at least 30 F-16s, purchased from the US in the mid-1980s. | |
Nearly half of these are believed to have been grounded in recent years because of a lack of spare parts and the need for upgrades. | |
In 2005, the US agreed to sell its ally 25 of the latest versions of the fighter jet. | |
Washington also agreed to upgrade the older F-16s, although these would have to be paid for directly by Islamabad. | |
But the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan, in Islamabad, says the new plan set out by the Bush administration would now include this upgrade within its anti-terrorism aid package. | |
Pakistan has used the fighter jets in operations against pro-Taleban insurgents on its Afghan border. | |
In addition to ground attack capabilities the jets have a role in establishing air superiority, and would be Pakistan's main weapon in any possible war with arch-rival India, our correspondent says. |
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