Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: THE Trump administration has notified Congress of a proposed $686 million sale to upgrade Pakistan’s F-16 fighter aircraft, a move expected to draw scrutiny from lawmakers and close attention in India as the package enters a mandatory 30- day review period.
In letters to key committee leaders, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the US Air Force intends to issue a Letter of Offer and Acceptance to Pakistan for “defense articles and services estimated to cost $686 million.” The proposed package includes $37 million in Major Defense Equipment and $649 million in additional hardware, software, and logistical support. The MDE list consists of 92 Link16 tactical data link systems, a jamresistant digital network used by US and allied militaries to share real-time battlefield information, and six Mk-82 inert 500-pound bomb bodies, which are unguided, low-drag training weapons used strictly for integration and release testing.
A wide range of non-MDE items round out the deal, including avionics updates, Operational Flight Program modifications, secure communications systems, Identification Friend or Foe equipment, cryptographic appliques, mission-planning systems, test equipment, spare parts, training devices, simulators, publications, and contractor engineering and logistics support, according to the notification. In its policy justification, the administration said the upgrades would help Pakistan modernize its Block-52 and Mid-Life Upgrade F-16 fleet and ensure compatibility with US and partner forces. The notification also stressed that the sale “will not alter the basic military balance in the region,” language aimed at addressing long-standing Indian concerns about US defence support to Pakistan.
