Biden Approves $450 Mn F-16 Fleet Programme To Pakistan

Biden administration announced a 450 million dollar F-16 fighter jet fleet to Pakistan on Wednesday. According to the US Congress, the State Department has made a decision to sell the F-16 fighter jet and related equipment to meet current and future counterterrorism threats.

Earlier in 2018, the Trump administration banned all types of defence and security assistance to Pakistan alleging that Islamabad was not a partner in its fight against terrorism. Since then, this is major security assistance to Pakistan.

The Pentagon said, “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by allowing Pakistan to retain interoperability with the US and helping in counterterrorism efforts and in preparation for future contingency operations.”

The proposed sale will continue the sustainment of Pakistan's F-16 fleet, which greatly improves Pakistan's ability to support counterterrorism operations through its robust air-to-ground capability.

According to the Congressional notification, the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.