Pakistani missile maintaining deal with US leads Con Grass to “Weep”
Fake news departments of interested parties are working overtime.There has been twin fake news — US missiles sale to Pakistan and Russian engines sales for JF-17s — have infused new blood into some of the opposition parties in India.
At once they started debate over India’s diplomatic and defence strategy failure. They warn that India’s longstanding non-aligned posturing and recent foreign policy stances have left it vulnerable to shifting geopolitical alliances.
The Congress party has sharply criticised the PM Modi government following reports that the United States has cleared a deal allowing defence contractor Raytheon Technologies to supply advanced air-to-air missiles to Pakistan.
Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh is now at his best.
According to Ramesh, the Modi administration is losing ground internationally, alleging that India has failed to diplomatically isolate Pakistan despite its alleged involvement in cross-border terror incidents.
Russians however have completely refuted this news. Russia had officially denied having supplied fighter jet engines to Pakistan and claimed that such reports were mischievous.
Similarly an USA order, dated September 30, specifically lists Pakistan among 35 nations eligible for the purchase or upgrade of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-To-Air Missile (AMRAAM) system under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework.
A detailed examination suggests the contract represents a standard system upgrade instead of a new missile acquisition. These are intended for software upgrades, component improvements, and limited refurbishment of Pakistan’s existing inventory of AIM-120C-series missiles.
Pakistan acquired its AMRAAMs in previous FMS packages linked to its F-16 Block-52 and upgraded F-16 MLU fighter fleets. These missiles were notably used during the 2019 Balakot conflict when Pakistan’s F-16s attempted engagement with Indian aircraft but nearly all missiles were turned into duds by the IAF, shocking even the USAAF and the Pentagon.
Over the last three years, Pakistan’s air combat inventory has increasingly pivoted toward Chinese-origin missiles such as the PL-12 and PL-15, integrated on its JF-17 and J-10C fighters.
These systems are reportedly cheaper and, in the case of the PL-15, capable of longer engagement ranges than the American AIM-120C.
This makes large-scale new U.S. purchases unlikely, further supporting the argument that the current $41 million package is confined to sustainment and system-level upgrades.
The upgrades only ensure that Pakistan can maintain its F-16 fleet’s operational status under standard end-user agreements, without introducing enhanced offensive capabilities or new hardware deliveries that could alter regional balances.
