Cover ups have happened before and that too on top of the food chain, both in pakistan and US.
Exclusive Friendly fire downs Pakistani F-16; U.S. in a coverup
ByRICHARD SALE
WASHINGTON -- A Pakistan Air Force F-16 accidentally shot down a companion F-16 previously reported to have been hit by a Soviet-made missile last May during combat over Afghanistan -- and U.S. officials assisted in the coverup, administration officials said Saturday.
'It was pilot error,' a U.S. intelligence source said of the jet fighter's loss.
Pakistan's attempt to cover up the accident was assisted by some Pentagon and State Department officials who felt the false report of a Soviet 'kill' might help promote Pakistan's bid to acquire sophisticated U.S.-made AWACS radar airplanes, administration sources told United Press International.
However,
Pakistan first concocted the story primarily to 'save face' and prevent any embarrassment of its Air Force, which has created an F-16 craze among the Pakistani people, they said.
Asked about the disclosure that the plane was downed by friendly fire, a defense official at Pakistan's Washington embassy said, 'This we do not know because we have no links with our Air Force Department.' He declined further comment.
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/0...Pakistani-F-16-US-in-a-coverup/8251553579200/
