US extends olive branch with delivery of three F-16s

In a fresh sign of thaw in Pakistan-United States strained relations, the US on Monday delivered three F-16 aircraft to Pakistan, which included a new fighter plane and two that were returned after being refurbished.
“One F-16 D Block 52 and two F-16 Block 15 MLU (Mid Life Upgrade) aircraft arrived from USA at PAF Shahbaz Base. The arrival of last F-16 D Block 52 aircraft marked the completion of delivery of 18 aircraft of this category,” said a PAF spokesman in a statement.
“The other two F-16 Block 15 aircraft, which arrived on Monday, were earlier sent to USA for Mid Life Upgrade and have been delivered to PAF on time,” it said.
To commemorate the ceremony, a simple ceremony was held at PAF Shahbaz Base, which was attended by a large number of PAF officials.
“The F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft is a high-tech fighter aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art avionics suite and latest weapons with Night Precision Attack capability,” the PAF spokesman said.
A security official, who requested anonymity, said that US had also been working with the PAF to modernise 45 F-16s from its existing fighter fleet through the US foreign military financing security assistance programme.
He said although there had been serious tension between the two sides in the wake of NATO airstrikes on Pakistani border posts in Mohmand Agency on November 26 last year, the two sides had been able to keep the F-16s’ delivery to Pakistan on the track.
Asked whether the US delivered the fighter planes to Pakistan despite the standoff between the two states as a part of confidence building measures (CBMs), he said it could be the reason, but he would not comment more on that.
A diplomatic source said the delivery of three F-16s to Islamabad on Monday reflected the clear signs of thaw in relations.
He said the two sides had covered major ground in their behind-the-scene talks through military and diplomatic channels and both of them were now on the verge of settlement of contentious issues like the blocking of NATO supplies, drone strikes and presence of US military trainers in Pakistan.