WikiLeaks on Shahbaz airbase: F-16s flew in, with guaranteed US presence at base

[Hud]

The Shahbaz airbase, which houses F-16 aircraft, is the subject of several US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks. One cable, dated October 6, 2009, makes note of the security requirements for the F-16s to be housed at the airbase.

According to the cable, "The security notes also mandate a five-year, 24/7 US technology security presence for the F-16s. SAF/IA has determined that when fully in place, the US security presence should consist of 45 US personnel – 40 at Shahbaz (five US military and 35 contractors), and five in Islamabad (two US military, one US Government civilian, two contractors). The estimated cost of the US security presence is $30 million per year, or $150 million for the full five-year period."
The F-16 aircraft are subject to security restrictions that the aircraft, armaments, related equipment and technical data need to be housed at a separate air force base which does not have "non-US/non-Pakistani origin personnel and aircraft." A January 2009 cable explained this further, stating that "there have been other US government concerns about illegal technology transfer relating to Pakistan's co-production program with the JF-17 Chinese fighter aircraft."

WikiLeaks on Shahbaz airbase: F-16s flew in, with guaranteed US presence at base – The Express Tribune

So every time Pakis have to take F16 for spin then they need to take permission from Papa Sam.

 

[Dovah]

So every time Pakis have to take F16 for spin then take permission from Papa Sam.

Hope this is the case with J-10s and Uncle Wang too.

 

[Yusuf]

Oh boy!! Expect a furore now. F-16s the aan baan and shaan of pak AF cannot fly without clearance from Uncle. Questions will be raised about what will happen in case of an Indo Pak war.

 

[LurkerBaba]

Oh boy!! Expect a furore now. F-16s the aan baan and shaan of pak AF cannot fly without clearance from Uncle. Questions will be raised about what will happen in case of an Indo Pak war.

Lurking on some pacqui fora and reading some wikileaks cables - link. I came across a term called "cryptokeys".

Apparently, access to higher end avionic/radar functions are allowed only through insertion of special hardware encrypted keys. So, the USA does maintain a kind of "kill switch"

Good thing we didn't go in for the F16/F18s

 

[The Messiah]

They are shameless country anyways so this wont affect them much.