Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 1: Pakistan has refused that it used F-16 jets as a part of their military operation, fearing that its admission would breach US deal conditions of disallowing use of F-16 fighter jets in an attacking role.
On Thursday, in a press conference by the Indian armed forces, Air Vice Marshal R G K Kapoor confirmed that India has sufficient evidence to establish that Pakistan deployed F-16 jets to attack Indian military bases in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is not accepting that F-16 jets were used as their confession would breach conditions laid by the US that clearly restricts Pakistan to use F-16s in an attacking role.
Showing the evidence, Air Vice Marshal said remains of AVRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) were recovered east of Rajouri in the Indian territory. Evidently, the missile can be carried only on the F-16.
After breaching Indian airspace in J&K on Wednesday, PAF (Pakistan Air Force aircraft) carried out air strikes that resulted in a little damage as the bombs dropped in vacant areas near Indian military bases. In an attempt to thwart Pakistan’s attack, India lost a MiG-21 Bison. Its pilot, IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, ejected across the Line of Control, not before he brought down PAF’s F-16 in an aerial clash to deter Pakistan’s attack.
The press briefing was released within hours of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement that the detained pilot will be released tomorrow as a move to de-escalate the matter from their side. The alleged ‘peace gesture' was appreciated by the IAF.
The US has been supplying F-16 fighters to Pakistan since the beginning of the 1980s. The cost of an F-16 aircraft is around $ 18.8 million. The estimated operational cost per flight hour is nearly $24,000. Pakistan received eight jets to resist terror activities in April 2016. However, the US had expressed concerns that Pakistan might use F-16 jets against India. Many Congressmen questioned the timing and decision of the deal. Congressman Matt Salmon had stated that amid the escalating Indo-Pak tensions, the F-16s might be used to target India or other local powers, instead of thwarting radical activities as Pakistan had claimed.