WASHINGTON: The US Senate has no objection to the proposed $450 million F-16 deal with Pakistan, the US State Department said on Thursday.
The F-16 program is an important part of the broader United States-Pakistan bilateral relationship, a State Department official was quoted as saying in Daily Dawn.
According to a State Department official the planned sale will sustain Pakistan’s capabilities to combat current and future counterterrorism threats by preserving its F-16 fleet. Additionally, the proposed sale will ensure Pakistan retains interoperability with the US and allies’ forces in ongoing counterterrorism actions and in readiness for future contingency operations.
The international media reported on Wednesday that the United States was all set to provide $450 million F-16 sustainment package to Pakistan as “there has been no objection to the deal from the Senate within the mandatory 30-day notice period”.
The next stage is for Pakistan and the US Department of Defense to sign a Letter of Offer and Acceptance. If and/or when an agreement is reached, the US Department of Defense typically issues a contract a few months later. Both governments will decide on the deal’s delivery schedule.
