A sane United States government might have demanded that Musharraf take firmer action against the Lal Masjid, or against pro-Taliban elements in Pakistan in general, before upgrading his fighter jets. From PTI, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
ISLAMABAD: The United States has approved Pakistan's request to upgrade a squadron of its old F-16 fighters with advanced targeting equipment to enhance their precision attack capability.The US government has formally issued permission to lockeed Martin, the makers of F-16, to install 18 sniper advanced targeting pods (ATP) in the aircrafts, officials were quoted in Islamabad as saying.
The modernisation would take two years and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) would also get the spares and training under the contract.
PAF wanted the ATP as it demonstrated exceptional performance in meeting the requirements, the report said.
not one more dime.please..
Lunatics.
How about a deal like this for India instead?
It's low tech weapons that are the problem. Guys with suicide belts etc.
Fighter jets are not.
I suggest we upgrade them to Spad 13's.
Or Fokker D-7's.
Great idea! Those ‘18 sniper advanced targeting pods (ATP)’ that Lockeed Martin will install to ‘modernize’ to Paki F-16 strike force will come in really handy when the mad muftis decide to turn them lose on Los Angeles or Rapid City! Brilliant U.S Government move! Always out to protect it’s citizens like building Islamic ‘Super Madrasahs’ in next door Afghanistan or advertising for young peaceful muslims to join the Homeland Security Department!!
Between 1936 and 1940, the US sold Japan scrap metal which the Japanese later returned in the form of bullets and bombs. It looks like history may repeat itself? A quote from George Santayana may be appropriate here.
Why not give them nukes, while you're at it?
Ooops, they already have it... never mind.
"Ooops, they already have it... never mind.
Posted by: Infidel Pride"
...perhaps, unless they have given their nukes to Al-Qaeda already...
Al_Qaeda has recently stated they have "something special" planned.
who has F16s
Main article: Operators of the F-16 Fighting Falcon
Operators of the F-16, major operators in blue, minor operators in light blue, and proposed or cancelled orders in yellow. Bahrain: Royal Bahraini Air Force (22)
Belgium: Belgian Air Force (79)
Chile: Chilean Air Force (28 +28 on order)[citation needed]
Denmark: Royal Danish Air Force (78)
Egypt: Egyptian Air Force (220)
Greece: Hellenic Air Force (132 +30 on order)
Jordan: Royal Jordanian Air Force (36)
Indonesia: Indonesian Air Force (10; Plans to upgrade their F-16A/B to F-16C/D variants and also plan to replace their F-5E/F by F-16C/D as an option.[10])
Israel: Israeli Air Force (362)
Italy: Italian Air Force (34; Leased from USAF)
Netherlands: Royal Netherlands Air Force (105)
Norway: Royal Norwegian Air Force (72)
Oman: Royal Air Force of Oman (12)
Pakistan: Pakistan Air Force (34 +44 on order)
Poland: Polish Air Force (48)
Portugal: Portuguese Air Force (45)
Singapore: Republic of Singapore Air Force (62)
Republic of China: Republic of China Air Force (150)
Republic of Korea: Republic of Korea Air Force (180)
Thailand: Royal Thai Air Force (59)
Turkey: Turkish Air Force (216 +30 on order, build under licence by Turkish Aerospace Industries)
United Arab Emirates: United Arab Emirates Air Force (80)
United States
United States Air Force (2,507; Some later sold to other countries)
United States Navy (40)
Venezuela: Venezuela Air Force (24)
Sure we upgrade them for ground attack. The muslims crazies take over and good bye India. We need to install a kill switch in each one of them. If they are ever used against us or friends, hit the switch. Let them crash. Pilots goto allah the moon god for the girls. Everything is good.
Capt Ahab is at it again! Is it possible that for once we could make things easy for ourselves!
Please can someone give me a rational reason for giving them anything except an house cleaning of their western frontier?
Why? What purpose can this serve? Cathrine? Lame Cherry? Cornelius? Any other true blue Bush defenders?
Maybe I am missing something in this grand plan that is just beyond my intellect!
"We need to install a kill switch in each one of them."
....these planes are not equipped with the device that identifies them as friendly aircraft on US radars....it would be easy to shoot them down as they would be clearly identified as "FOE"
....a secret destruct mechanism may be already on the planes....as you indicate...
....spare parts suddenly become ultra expensive and hard to get....
...I believe India was given some great US made anti=aircraft missle batteries...just in case...
Relax...the "upgrade" is small and almost insignificant (F-16s are old, and gradually becoming less and less of a threat, especially compared to our new toys, or even Indias IAF-they'd decimate the PAF in a day or two if that happened).
And you're right, exsgtbrown...and there ARE "precautions" put in by our folks (hint).
jcom972
True. I don't think anyone thinks the F-16 is a front line figther anymore compared to what we have or coming (F-22, F-35, etc.) India does not have the best fighters world although they are way ahead of Pakistan in R & D and have their own in house fighter production industry which in the long run will better then buying from others.
My problem with it is Pakistan should not get one red cent!
True. I don't think anyone thinks the F-16 is a front line figther anymore compared to what we have or coming (F-22, F-35, etc.)
Same thinking here.. No doubt we can shoot these suckers down.. keep your enemies closer..
They could be buying MIGS..
Those MIGS aren't half bad either. I've seen some of the manoeuvres that these MIGS are capable of..
Like going straight up in the air to standstill then flipping straight down just to appear behind a pursuer.
F-16.. old hat.. and you need really good pilots.. who knows what the Americans have embedded in these things.. tracking devices.. transmitters.. kill switches.. etc.. mmmhh....
Kill switch wouldnot work you bigot seem to think Pakistan Muslim are supid. Kill switch can be found and neturize easier than you think. China and Pakistian are built than even more fighter together call I believe the F4. Than old ww1 biplane is than biggest threat as wood and paper donot show up on radar easier compora to metal.
"... you bigot seem to think Pakistan Muslim are supid...."
Posted by: DefenderofIslam
.....hmmm, let me think on that one....
"China and Pakistian are built than even more fighter together call I believe the F4"
Posted by: DefenderofIslam
.....hmmmm, lets see, oh yeah, the F4...a 1960 designed fighter that can no longer compete with the current fighter jets of the world, it is too heavy and not as manueverable...it is probably a seviceable aircraft when competing against someone with equal or lesser aircraft..but in the real world it is outdated and borders on
becoming past history....
"Than old ww1 biplane is than biggest threat as wood and paper donot show up on radar easier compora to metal.
Posted by: DefenderofIslam"
....perhaps, but the old WWi biplane can be easily shot down by old men with flintlock rifles..
"
The US government has formally issued permission to lockeed Martin, the makers of F-16, to install 18 sniper advanced targeting pods (ATP) in the aircrafts, officials were quoted in Islamabad as saying."
How about we just give them X-Boxes instead? We can't trust them to turn over OBL. They didn't do anything to stop A.Q. Khan. All we ever really get from them is drips and drabs of intel when it suits them.
If its gotta be a done deal, be sure to install the emergency override systems linked to Central Command.
Wait...changed my mind. Send Al Gore to reprimand the Pakis for contributing to global warming with intent to use weapons of imperialistic aggression.
I suppose that we will be supplying real live American taxpayers as targets?
After all, how can the muslims be properly trained to us American technology if we don't also supply them with actual targets to practice on?
Perhaps a grade school or a church will do, right George (SPIT!) Bush?
"A sane United States government might have demanded that Musharraf take firmer action against the Lal Masjid, or against pro-Taliban elements in Pakistan in general, before upgrading his fighter jets."
A sane United States government might have just sent a few B-1 bombers to Pakistan, if you get my drift. No use upgrading them to yesterday's bean dip.
Give 'em the good stuff.
""A sane United States government might have demanded that Musharraf take firmer action against the Lal Masjid, or against pro-Taliban elements in Pakistan in general, before upgrading his fighter jets."
Posted by: Haid Dasalami
....uh, you mean, like using the jets you already have against the taliban or other terrorist targets and actually helping in the fight?...