FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 13, 2009 – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] unveiled the first of 18 new F-16s being produced for Pakistan in ceremonies today at its Fort Worth, Texas, facility. Officials including the Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. and Pakistan Air Forces were on hand to witness the event.
Air Chief Marshal Rao Quamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), accepted the first F-16 Block 52 aircraft on behalf of his nation. Also present were Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, and other senior officials.
The U.S. government was represented by Rep. Kay Granger, Texas 12th District, and Gen. Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
“Peace Drive is the flagship of modernization for Pakistan’s Air Force. It is the latest configuration of the best 4th generation multirole fighter available in the world today,” said John Larson, vice president of F-16 programs for Lockheed Martin.
The aircraft order is designated as “Peace Drive I,” continuing a long tradition of naming F-16 international sales programs with the word Peace. The program raises the total number of F-16s ordered by Pakistan to 54. The Pakistan Air Force received its first F-16, in the Block 15 F-16A/B configuration, in 1982. Pakistan has been operating Lockheed Martin aircraft since 1963, when it received C-130B airlifters.
The Peace Drive I order is for 12 F-16Cs and six F-16Ds, all powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. The first aircraft – a two-seat F-16D model – will be delivered to the U.S. government (as agent for Pakistan in the Foreign Military Sales process) in December, with the remainder following in 2010.
The F-16 is the choice of 25 nations. More than 4,400 aircraft have been delivered worldwide from assembly lines in five countries. The F-16 program has been characterized by unprecedented international cooperation among governments, air forces and aerospace industries. Major upgrades to all F-16 versions are being incorporated to keep the fleet modern and fully supportable over the aircraft’s long service life.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.
2 comments:
New F-16 fighter jets were rolled out in Fort Worth, Texas. The fighter jets are due for delivery to Pakistan's military after a prolongued effort by President Zardari and his Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani.
It was the first to Pakistan since 1990, when then-President George H.W. Bush cut off delivery of 28 previously purchased planes over the country’s nuclear weapons development program but as a result of efforts of Mr. Hussain Haqqani and President Zardari, U.S agreed to deliver jet fighters.
"Many people thought this day would never come," Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, said in remarks at the ceremony. "It’s a historic and defining moment." These state-of-the-art F-16s will bolster PAF’s fleet of high tech combat aircraft and will enable it to undertake wide variety of missions across the entire spectrum of operations. This new delivery of top-grade fighter jets is the result of "unprecedented international cooperation," and promises to provide Pakistan's Air Force with the tools necessary to protect a strong and free Pakistan.
Here one forced to think about those who always called Hussain Haqqani an agent of U.S, pursuing U.S interests. I know they would have no answer if ask about recent achievement of Mr. Hussain Haqqani. Hussain Haqqnai always promoted national interests and he is true representative of Pakistan.
One can learn more about efforts of Mr. Haqqani by clicking
http://www.pro-pakistan.com/2009/04/11/hussain-haqqani-asserts-pakistans-policy-in-washington/
New F-16 fighter jets were rolled out in Fort Worth, Texas. The fighter jets are due for delivery to Pakistan's military after a prolongued effort by President Zardari and his Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani.
It was the first to Pakistan since 1990, when then-President George H.W. Bush cut off delivery of 28 previously purchased planes over the country’s nuclear weapons development program but as a result of efforts of Mr. Hussain Haqqani and President Zardari, U.S agreed to deliver jet fighters.
"Many people thought this day would never come," Pakistan’s ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, said in remarks at the ceremony. "It’s a historic and defining moment." These state-of-the-art F-16s will bolster PAF’s fleet of high tech combat aircraft and will enable it to undertake wide variety of missions across the entire spectrum of operations. This new delivery of top-grade fighter jets is the result of "unprecedented international cooperation," and promises to provide Pakistan's Air Force with the tools necessary to protect a strong and free Pakistan.
Here one forced to think about those who always called Hussain Haqqani an agent of U.S, pursuing U.S interests. I know they would have no answer if ask about recent achievement of Mr. Hussain Haqqani. Hussain Haqqnai always promoted national interests and he is true representative of Pakistan.
One can learn more about efforts of Mr. Haqqani by clicking
http://www.pro-pakistan.com/2009/04/11/hussain-haqqani-asserts-pakistans-policy-in-washington/
Post a Comment