The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) will modernize three squadrons of its 65 or so F-16 Fighting Falcon planes as part of a $450 million fleet-sustainment aid package that the US agreed to early this week. India so far hasn’t issued any statement on this development.
The US, which is regarded as India’s closest strategic partner, made its decision without receiving an official response from New Delhi. Given that he had a constructive conversation with US Secretary of Defense General Lloyd James Austin the day before.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s diplomatic abilities and efforts helped to prepare the road for development. This would improve the PAF’s counterterrorism capabilities.
According to the official statement, they spoke about issues of common interest, regional stability, and cooperation in defense and security during the call.
The proposed F-16 update, according to the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), will improve the aircraft’s general structure, electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, and engine.
Additionally, upgrades would be made to the platforms’ targeting and EW pods, which serve a variety of secret and unclassified onboard fighter software functions in addition to electronic reconnaissance, communication, and radar jamming.
Military analysts in India have observed that US President Joe Biden let down Indian military leaders at a time when New Delhi was considered to be Washington’s close strategic partner and was engaged in advanced talks to purchase military weapons.
