U.S. to deliver 18 F-16s to Pakistan
 By Lisa Daniel and Donna Miles , American Forces Press Service
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 WASHINGTON (June 24, 2010) –      The Air Force is set to deliver the first of 18 new F-16 Fighting  Falcon jet fighters to the Pakistani air force in a sign of deepening  relations between the United States and Pakistan. Three F-16s are  scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on June 26, with 15 more to be delivered  later this year and next, Air Force Maj. Todd Robbins, the Pakistan  country director in the office of the undersecretary of the Air Force  for international affairs, said in an interview with American Forces  Press Service. “This is the most visible part of a strong and  growing relationship between the two air forces that will benefit us  both near-term and long-term,” Robbins said. This sale of F-16s  to Pakistan renews new aircraft sales that existed between the United  States and Pakistan in the 1980s, but were halted in the 1990s. Defense  Secretary Robert M. Gates and other U.S. military and civilian leaders  have spoken out about “not repeating the mistakes” of the U.S. halt in  relations with Pakistan in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In  March, the United States and Pakistan held their first ministerial-level  strategic dialogue here, co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary  Rodham Clinton and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood  Qureshi. High-level officials from both governments participated in the  dialogue, including Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the  Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gates said then that the talks included  discussion of “how we can help Pakistan in dealing with the security  challenges that face them, but also face us and NATO as well.” The two countries held follow-up meetings in Pakistan in early June that  focused on improving military-to-military relations and security  cooperation, officials said. Relations with Pakistan improved  after Sept. 11, 2001, Robbins said, “and this is just one very tangible  example of the currently strong and growing relationship between the  U.S. Air Force and the Pakistan air force and, in the larger context,  between the United States and Pakistan.” The F-16 is a multirole  jet fighter sold to 24 countries around the world, according to its  manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. The 18 being sold to Pakistan are the  Block 52 versions of the aircraft, Robbins said, which will give  Pakistan new capabilities, including day-night, all-weather and  precision-attack capabilities. “They’ve not had [these  capabilities] before, so this is a major milestone in the U.S. providing  this capability, which older models [of F-16s] don’t have,” he said.  “This will enable them to strike terrorists within their borders while  helping them to avoid collateral damage. It’s an increase in  capabilities that are beneficial to us all.” Pakistan is paying  $1.4 billion for the 18 new aircraft, in addition to $1.3 billion in  upgrades to its existing F-16 fleet, which are to begin being delivered  in 2012, Robbins said. The Air Force also is training Pakistan  air force pilots. The first eight recently completed training with the  Arizona National Guard in Tucson, with additional training done by  Lockheed Martin, Robbins said. The Air Force also is training Pakistanis  in night-attack training and recently completed training for four  instructors and five flight leads, he said.