Pakistan Air Force closed the Lahore-Pakistan motorway on Thursday to let it practice landing jets on the road, in what it said was routine training not related to heightened tension with India after a deadly attack in the disputed Kashmir region.
As a result of which Pakistan would have to make arrangements for all USD 700 million (around Rs 46 hundred crore) to purchase eight F-16 from the United States.
The tri-services chiefs while addressing the media also said that the forces were in a state of heightened readiness to deal with any eventuality.
Having lost out on the multi-billion Indian Air Force contract, the Pentagon said American fighter jets -- F16 and F18 -- would have provided India unbeatable platforms with proven technologies at a competitive price.
The Bush Administration recently approved the sale of 18 new F-16 fighter jets with an option of an additional 18 to Islamabad as part of a $ five-billion-dollar deal.\n\n
PAF also looked forward to strengthen its reconnaissance and surveillance capability, strike power, detection of enemy aircraft, platform to combat and weapons for defence.
The United States has put up stiff conditions on the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, stipulating that they cannot be used against India in any future conflict. Pakistan is slated to receive 18 F-16s from the US by the end of this month.US Air Force engineers would accompany the F-16s and would supervise not only the airbase but also the operations to be carried out by the Pakistan Air Force against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, The Nation reports.
Several reports in the media had said the US will make a formal announcement during President Pervez Musharraf's visit to the US beginning June 24.
Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed a ceremony held at Pakistan Air Force base Minhas Kamra in Attock district of Punjab province to induct the new fighter jets.
A high-level US defence team led by Lieutenant General Jeffrey B Kohler held marathon discussions on Thursday with top Indian Air Force officials and submitted detailed technical parameters.
Pointing to The Washington Post piece on Monday about the dramatic expansion in Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme, Ackerman said the import of the story is "truly alarming" in the context of a pending sale by US of F-16 fighter-bombers.
"Selling military hardware to Pakistan -- with a generous subsidy from American taxpayers -- is no way to convince them to become responsible players in the international community and assist in the fight against terrorism," Rand Paul said.
At present, Wg Cdr Varthaman is serving at an IAF base in Rajasthan.
Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata took off to the skies in a Boeing F-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft as a co-pilot, his second such flight in two days.
Under the deal, Lockheed will shift its Fort Worth, Texas plant to India without directly affecting American jobs.
As India expressed 'displeasure and disappointment" over the United States's decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said that the she will patch things up with India soon on the issue.
Pakistan's Shahbaz air force base in southern Sindh province, which is home to the country's newest F-16 jets, is 'controlled by the United States', a senior official has said. Health Secretary Khushnood Lashari made the stunning claim about the Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad area during an appearance before the Standing Committee on Health of the Senate or upper house of Parliament on Wednesday.
The Pentagon has awarded Bell Helicopter a contract to manufacture and deliver the choppers to Pakistan under its foreign military sales funds.
The Tridents squadron which is now also known as the "Defender of the North" has replaced the MiG-21 squadron at the Srinagar air base which has traditionally been responsible for taking care of the threat from Pakistan.
Pakistan has acquired a full squadron of 25 multirole J-10C fighter jets from its all weather ally China in response to India's purchase of Rafale aircraft, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said.
US aviation major Lockheed Martin, in the race to sell 126 F-16 jets to the air force, is in talks with Indian firms like HAL and the Tata group for the outsourcing of aircraft components, a company official said on Tuesday.
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) intercepted a group of bombers near Alaska, marking the first instance of joint Russian and Chinese operations prompting such a response from the United States, CNN reported, citing, a United States defence official.
Two B-1B Lancer supersonic heavy bomber jets of the US Air Force on Tuesday joined the American exhibits at Aero India at the Yelahanka air base, in a reflection of the deeper strategic ties between the two countries.
At present, Pakistan has some edge with its fleet of F-16 jets with AMRAAM missile fitted with them, said an official.
'He was a practical person who ensured that he thought about the common man, animals, the fact that they have a life and they have to be respected.'
Olson was responding to questions from the lawmakers who expressed concern over Pakistan being "selective" in taking actions against terrorist groups.
Defence sources that they were verifying reports that an F16 Pakistani jet had crashed in Lam Valley across the Line of Control.
SpaceX launched a reduced two-man crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, carrying supplies and two empty seats for Starliner astronauts awaiting a return home in February after an unplanned eight-and-a-half-month stay in orbit, CBS News reported.
China on Monday dismissed the existence of a 'median line' in the volatile Taiwan Strait after Taiwan's defence ministry said it detected a record 103 Chinese warplanes flying around the self-ruled island in a 24-hour period.
The No. 51 Squadron is to be retired by the end of September, "as per the plan", the defence sources said.
The Pakistan Navy claimed in Islamabad that it used specialised skills to ward off the Indian submarine from entering Pakistani waters.
He said the Pakistan Air Force was detected and the Indian Air Force responded instantly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a surprise visit to the UK in his second visit outside Ukraine since the Russian invasion nearly a year ago.
As the United States withdraws its forces from neighbouring Afghanistan, the Obama administration has armed Pakistan with 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers, an internal Congressional report has said.
Which of the two aircraft will India chose? Let's take a closer look at the two aircraft.
The fleet landed at Al Dhafra airbase on Monday in the United Arab Emirates after flying for over seven hours from the Merignac airbase. It was the only stopover by the jets while flying from France to India.
The United States on Sunday shot down another unidentified airborne object in its airspace, a day after it brought down a similar 'cylindrical' object over Canada.
The coordinated assaults in the morning set off fierce fighting between the army and the militants that is currently ongoing, with soldiers and police chasing the attackers using ground and air force, security sources said.
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