Windjammer
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The recent announcement of of Eight more F-16s for the PAF has been cause of much anxiety and depression in the neighbourhood. Albeit Pakistan has been operating the Fighting Falcon for over Thirty years with newer and more capable models being acquired within the last decade, however, the reaction by India to the recent acquisition has been unprecedented. This is all the more scandalous since India currently is one of the top armament purchasing country boasting of fourth largest air force in the world.
But it's also possible that India does have real concerns as the F-16s continue to rattle nerves in New Delhi.
According to Indian writer Pushpinder Singh, the arrival of F-16s in the Sub-continent caused such alarm bells that India in response ended up purchasing no less than 220 assorted fighter jets from Russia and France, hence the latest reaction by India thus shouldn't come as a surprise.
The F-16, the most widely used and combat proven aircraft of recent times has also proved it's tremendous capabilities within the PAF. Soon after bit's arrival in Pakistan in the mid-80s, it was immediately pressed into service against joint Afghan/Soviet threat and in the process shot down no less than a dozen Soviet origin aircraft without a single loss to enemy action, since PAF never disclosed about those aircraft that fell on the other side of the border, so the actual number of victims, which is much higher remains classified.
A PAF F-16 also made history by achieving first night interception and shooting down of an IAF spy drone of Israeli origin in 2002. In 2005, Pratt & Whitney presented a plaque to the PAF in recognition of flying the F-16 for over 100,000 accident free flight hours.
HUD capture of an Afghan SU-22 kill in 1987
A notable incident took place in 2008, when some Indian aircraft in a threatening manner intruded into Pakistan airspace and were promptly intercepted by PAF F-16s and escorted out.
More recently, PAF F-16s have been busy in carrying out strikes against the Taliban near Afghan border with great success. Even during exercises with friendly air forces, the PAF have scored repeated victories against such potent systems as the Euro fighter Typhoons and F-15 Eagles. All in all, since it's induction in PAF, the F-16s have remained geared into action in one form or another, always coming out on the top. It enjoys an unparalleled combat record while most aircraft in the neighbourhood don't have a single combat kill to their name so any wonder even eight F-16s can cause so many ripples.
