ISLAMABAD, Jan 21: The US ambassador reviewed the F-16 aircraft programme along with Pakistan’s Air Chief on Monday and visited the Shahbaz Airbase, home to Pakistani F-16s.

Ambassador Richard Olson and Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt attended a meeting to review the programme at the Air Headquarters here. Then the US diplomat travelled to Jacobabad for an on-site briefing on the programme, flaunted by the Americans as “flagship symbol of post 9/11 bilateral re-engagement”.

The three-stage $3.1 billion programme is one of the largest defence procurements made by Islamabad despite massive financial crisis.

The programme included purchase of 18 new jets, upgrade of 35 old aircraft from the existing fleet and those purchased from the US under Excess Defence Articles programme, besides procurement of munitions.

Most of the old aircraft would undergo mid-life upgrade in Turkey with kits provided by the US.

Initially, Pakistan had intended to purchase 36 new aircraft, but the number had to be halved because of strong financial crunch, particularly in the aftermath of the 2005 earthquake.

Pakistan paid for the new aircraft and the munitions from its own resources and the mid-life upgrade was partly financed through the US foreign military funding assistance on the commitment that the jets would be deployed to conduct tactical precision strikes against Al Qaeda and Taliban targets in tribal areas.

Talking to the PAF chief, Mr Olson reaffirmed the importance of a strong US-Pakistan security relationship.

“Both sides affirmed their mutual commitment to a strong defence relationship focusing on achieving common objectives,” a statement issued by the US Embassy said.

“This visit and the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 programme represent concrete examples of US-Pakistan cooperation to support our shared security goals and promote peace and stability in the region,” said Mr Olson.

ACM Butt said: “Ambassador Olson’s visit is important because it focuses on achieving common objectives and shows that the US and Pakistan are working together to strengthen cooperation to support each country’s security interests.”

The US in the past keenly pursued the F-16 programme for meeting its foreign policy objectives and bridging trust deficit with Pakistani military, whose support was considered crucial in the war on terror.