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Pak breaches end-user agreement, US seeks deet on potential misuse of F-16
The Indian Air Force, on Thursday, had displayed parts of an AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missile as evidence to prove that Pakistan had deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir after India's anti-terror operation in Balakot.
Washington: After IAF displayed the parts of US-manufactured aircraft as an evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan used the F-16 fighter jets against India, US is seeking more information on the potential misuse of the jet, violating of the end-user agreement.
Upon being asked about the report that Pakistan has violated end-user agreement with the US in this cross border air strike with India, a State Department spokesperson told media, "We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information."
"Due to non-disclosure agreements in Foreign Military Sales contracts, we cannot discuss the specifics of end user-agreements contained within," Lt Col Kone Faulkner, a Defense Department spokesperson told media.
The Indian Air Force, on Thursday, had displayed parts of an AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missile as evidence to prove that Pakistan had deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir after India's anti-terror operation in Balakot.
Pakistan, however, on Wednesday, had categorically refused the use of F-16 fighter jets and had also denied any of its planes been downed by the IAF.
The United States, which is the largest seller of high-tech defence equipment globally, and comply in a strong end-user monitoring agreement, takes all allegations of misuse of defense articles very seriously.
Accounting the publicly available documents, it could be drawn that US has in past also imposed over a dozen restriction on Pakistan related to its use of F-16.
According to Pentagon's Defense Security and Cooperation Agency (DSCA) F-16 jets were meant to be used to "enhance Pakistan's ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counter terrorism operations".
"There is a two-man rule, so to speak, for access to this equipment and restricted areas, and F-16 flights outside of Pakistan or participation in exercises and operations with third nations must be approved in advance by the United States government," the top State Department official had once said.
