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Anti-terror funds to upgrade Pak F–16s : Protest by US lawmakers |
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The Bush Administration’s proposal to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from anti-terrorism funds to upgrade Pakistan’s ageing fleet of F-16s has met with strong opposition by some US lawmakers at a Congressional hearing on Sept. 16. The US Administration has taken the stand that the upgradation of F-16s would be useful in launching raids against terrorists, but the Congressmen remain unconvinced.
The Bush Administration is seeking approval of the lawmakers for redirecting the $110 million in 2008 Foreign Military Financing for the Mid-Life Update of the F-16s and an additional $142 million in the future. The technical details of the proposal to upgrade 46 F-16 A/B fighters to a new generation Block 52 F-16 fighters were shared with the US Congressmen on September 17 by Donald Camp, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia. Camp contended that updates to Pakistan’s F-16s would make these aircraft far more effective against terrorist targets. He further said the upgraded F-16s would provide a “critical counter-terrorism capability” to Pakistan and the Pakistan Air Force has recently made extensive use of its aging F-16 fleet to support Pakistan Army operations in the Swat Valley and in Bajaur Agency of the FATA. However, he said, the Pak Air Force’s current model F-16s can be used for close air support missions only in daylight and good visibility. They cannot be employed at night.
Supporting him, Vice Admiral Jefrey Wieringa, Director of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, said precision munitions for the F-16s would reduce civilian casualties. The updates would also allow the F-16s to be used at night, adding an element of surprise to attacks on militants.
Democratic Congressman Gary Ackerman, Chairman of the House Sub-Committee on South Asia, a long-time opponent of the sale of F-16s to Pakistan, called the hearing. He said he remained unconvinced that Pakistan needs ‘F-16s to assist the US in the fight against terror. Ackerman complained that the Bush Administration’s request has been made despite earlier assurances that with the exception of $109 million, the rest of the cost of the F-16 programme would be borne by the Government of Pakistan and not by American tax payers. Richard Boucher, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, warned that the State Department believes it has the authority to shift counter-terrorism aid to the fighter programme if Congress balks.
Senior Congressman Berman, who heads the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has again cautioned the Bush Administration that arms sales to Pakistan are doing more to stoke tensions with India than combat terrorism in the region. Berman, who sponsored a Bill passed in May to overhaul the arms export process, told the NEW YORK TIMES that American military sales, while often well intended, were sometimes misguided and cited the sales to Pakistan in this regard.
Pakistan has lately been trying to make out the case that F-16s are being used in anti-terror operations. A Pakistan official, in a selective briefing last week claimed that the country’s Air Force had flown nearly 100 missions in August, reportedly resulting in some 500-550 casualties. Spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas dismissed suggestions that the Pakistan military had pressed the F-16s into service to prove to a skeptical US Congress that it was not diverting US anti-terrorism money to arm itself against India. He also refuted the view that “F-16s, meant principally for aerial combat, could not be used efficiently in counter-insurgency operations. He told THE HINDU, an Indian English daily, on Sept. 15 that the F-16s are very effective for use for reconnaissance and for close airport- to-ground troops. “It is not unusual to use them in such operations”, he said.
Indian defence analysts, however, insist that the proposed upgrade of Pakistani F-16 fighters by the US was more likely to be used in a conventional war, raising concerns that the fighters could be used as a nuclear delivery platform against India. The main contention is that the upgrade – which includes a new age radar, precision bombing capabilities and night strike equipment – is more suited to conventional war against India. “The upgrade would include long range missiles and better air-to-air radars. There is no doubt that they are prepared for a war with India”, says Air Commodore [Retd] Jasjit Singh, Director, Centre for Air Power Studies. With the fighters already having a nuclear delivery role in the PAF, the upgrade has even more serious repercussions for India, says Jasjit Singh.
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Pak developing more N-bombs
Pakistan is close to completing a second plutonium producing reactor and is well into building a third one. These could increase its ability to make atomic bombs, a US think-tank, the Institute for Science and International Security [ISIS], said in a report. The report included satellite images taken two weeks ago and in February and May showing construction of the second and third Khushab complexes. Pakistan has an operating heavy water reactor and a heavy water production plant already at Khushab. The report estimated that once completed, these reactors will increase several fold Pakistan’s ability to make weapons-grade plutonium fuel. The report said the reactors would run on the power of about 100 megawatts or more which could enable the two combined to yield plutonium for 8-10 atomic bombs a year. “When finished, the second and third Khushab reactors will allow a significant increase in the quantity and quality of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons”, it warned.
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