PAF F16-Blk70 possibly coming - TO BE CONFIRMED

[FuturePAF]

Ive heard Rumors the block 3 JF-17s will have AESA radars. Does this mean the new jf-17s will have better radar than our F16s?

Overall better in every way, except maybe range, but I don't remember the numbers on that.

 

[IbnAbdullah]

Salaam

Overall better in every way, except maybe range, but I don't remember the numbers on that.

Even carrying capacity?

 

[ghazi52]

Trump says calls off US-Taliban negotiations after Kabul attack

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Saturday he had called off a secret summit with the Taliban and Afghanistan´s leader, abruptly slamming the door on a year of diplomacy to end America´s longest war.

In a weekend bombshell, Trump said that he had planned previously unknown talks with the two sides Sunday in Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, but that the Taliban´s persistent, grisly campaign of violence made them untrustworthy partners.

"Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday," Trump said in a tweet.

"Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great great soldiers, and 11 other people. I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations."

"What kind of people would kill so many in order to seemingly strengthen their bargaining position? They didn´t, they only made it worse!" Trump said.

A US soldier and another service member from Romania were killed in a car bombing Thursday in Kabul -- the latest major attack claimed by the Taliban even as they negotiated with a US envoy.

If realized, the summit would have been the latest high-profile, high-stakes diplomacy by the mogul-turned-president, who is fond of dramatic gestures.

Instead, his announcement by tweet ended a painstaking diplomatic process led for nearly a year by Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born veteran US diplomat who has been meeting with the Taliban in Qatar.

Afghanistan´s internationally recognized president, Ashraf Ghani, had been outspoken in his criticism of the shape of the withdrawal agreement with the Taliban, who have refused to negotiate with his government.

- Withdrawal plans in question -

Khalilzad had said in Kabul that he had reached an agreement in principle with the Taliban.

According to parts of the draft deal that had been made public, the Pentagon would pull about 5,000 of the roughly 13,000 US troops from five bases across Afghanistan by early next year.

The insurgents in turn will renounce Al-Qaeda, promise to fight the Islamic State group and stop jihadists using Afghanistan as a safe haven.

The fight against Al-Qaeda was the initial reason for the US-led war that overthrew the Taliban following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

But US public opinion has soured on nearly two decades of war and Trump, after initially being persuaded to reinforce US troops, has said that the United States should not be involved in "endless" war.

Trump had been uncharacteristically reticent about Afghanistan in recent weeks, with all eyes on whether he would approve a final deal.

Washington had hoped that a withdrawal of US troops would lead to negotiations between the Taliban and Kabul on a more permanent peace.

Speaking earlier Saturday in Paris, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the United States would only accept a "good deal" with the Taliban -- words welcomed by the government in Kabul.

But Trump´s abrupt announcement draws a new question mark on whether the United States will leave Afghanistan anytime soon.

The decision comes weeks before Afghanistan is set to hold elections, an unwieldy exercise even in more stable times.

 

[Avicenna]

Trump says calls off US-Taliban negotiations after Kabul attack

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Saturday he had called off a secret summit with the Taliban and Afghanistan´s leader, abruptly slamming the door on a year of diplomacy to end America´s longest war.

In a weekend bombshell, Trump said that he had planned previously unknown talks with the two sides Sunday in Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, but that the Taliban´s persistent, grisly campaign of violence made them untrustworthy partners.

"Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday," Trump said in a tweet.

"Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great great soldiers, and 11 other people. I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations."

"What kind of people would kill so many in order to seemingly strengthen their bargaining position? They didn´t, they only made it worse!" Trump said.

A US soldier and another service member from Romania were killed in a car bombing Thursday in Kabul -- the latest major attack claimed by the Taliban even as they negotiated with a US envoy.

If realized, the summit would have been the latest high-profile, high-stakes diplomacy by the mogul-turned-president, who is fond of dramatic gestures.

Instead, his announcement by tweet ended a painstaking diplomatic process led for nearly a year by Zalmay Khalilzad, the Afghan-born veteran US diplomat who has been meeting with the Taliban in Qatar.

Afghanistan´s internationally recognized president, Ashraf Ghani, had been outspoken in his criticism of the shape of the withdrawal agreement with the Taliban, who have refused to negotiate with his government.

- Withdrawal plans in question -

Khalilzad had said in Kabul that he had reached an agreement in principle with the Taliban.

According to parts of the draft deal that had been made public, the Pentagon would pull about 5,000 of the roughly 13,000 US troops from five bases across Afghanistan by early next year.

The insurgents in turn will renounce Al-Qaeda, promise to fight the Islamic State group and stop jihadists using Afghanistan as a safe haven.

The fight against Al-Qaeda was the initial reason for the US-led war that overthrew the Taliban following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

But US public opinion has soured on nearly two decades of war and Trump, after initially being persuaded to reinforce US troops, has said that the United States should not be involved in "endless" war.

Trump had been uncharacteristically reticent about Afghanistan in recent weeks, with all eyes on whether he would approve a final deal.

Washington had hoped that a withdrawal of US troops would lead to negotiations between the Taliban and Kabul on a more permanent peace.

Speaking earlier Saturday in Paris, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that the United States would only accept a "good deal" with the Taliban -- words welcomed by the government in Kabul.

But Trump´s abrupt announcement draws a new question mark on whether the United States will leave Afghanistan anytime soon.

The decision comes weeks before Afghanistan is set to hold elections, an unwieldy exercise even in more stable times.

What a dirty dirty game.

 

[araz]

Only Russian AAMs allowed as of Yet. PAF requested for a radar change(AESA) which the Russians rejected. Ruskies haven’t allowed PLAAF to integrate their own AAMs as of yet on 35s...

That is where the money is and in my thinking the snag with the deal. We can afford the plane somehow but setting up another supply chain for armaments when we have equivalent or better armaments from the Chinese may be a logistical nightmare.
A

 

[!eon]

Mistakes are tied with every human but the only person now I can believe on this forum is @Khafee
One more honest person here was @Indus Falcon

 

[ziaulislam]

What a dirty dirty game.

Escalation or deescalation pakistan is needed but we dont have leverage due to our economical condition

 

[Trango Towers]

Mistakes are tied with every human but the only person now I can believe on this forum is @Khafee
One more honest person here was @Indus Falcon

So when si there to be some word on block 70s officially

 

[Aamir Hussain]

With the latest collapse in talks between Taliban & Washington, the deal seems to be dead in water!!!

Let us wait n see how we roll with the punches from here on....

 

[Trango Towers]

With the latest collapse in talks between Taliban & Washington, the deal seems to be dead in water!!!

Let us wait n see how we roll with the punches from here on....

And there was a deal?????

 

[Aamir Hussain]

If there was any, it is dead in water as of now or until things get back on track.

 

[!eon]

So when si there to be some word on block 70s officially

Never

 

[TsAr]

With the latest collapse in talks between Taliban & Washington, the deal seems to be dead in water!!!

Let us wait n see how we roll with the punches from here on....

The USA Centcom chief is here along with a delegation. Negotiations have halted but neither of the parties have backed off or refused to talk.

 

[Aamir Hussain]

Sir, the deal that was being discussed with CENTCOM Chief is about better Military to Military coordination on the border, and to see where and how US Army can help in supporting the Fencing of the Border (This was asked for in the trip to US my our Chief) and stuff like that.

The Taliban talks are being run by the Afghan Affairs Section in the State Department with Ambassador Khalilzadeh, Secretary of State and Trump himself taking the point on this. That is why Khalilzadeh did not know of the collapse of the talks!!!

Trump and the administration, as per my knowledge, talked about lot of things in vague terms including, possible resumption of limited military aid, support of already in country US Manufactured Assets, extension of US Aid Mission Program, release of the 8 F-16 and the Cobras (after payment of the remaining amount is arranged by Pakistan -- these two items can be the first and the easiest things that can be done signaling change in relationship) upgrade programs possibly targeting the F-16 & the Orion a/c's, release of arrears on CSF but subject to audit being completed which was halted after reimbursements were stopped. This alone can take more than a year to pan out. The in-country team will have to be reformed/hired and sent to Pakistan to conduct audit on the ground as was being done previously. One of my old course mates came to Islamabad to conduct the audit from Dallas who is an ex US Army and now a Financial Consultant.

All of the above or any of the above items being delivered will depend upon the outcome of the US/Talib talks and the final deal that is hammered out. US tends to keep on changing the goal posts from time to time under pressure from the Afghan regime, Talib attacks etc. Therefore, thrashing out a deal between the two, is at best a difficult and time consuming game.

Please do remember, the attacks that came recently came out of a possible goal post change by either of the two parties. Trumps action was and is a tactic to put pressure on the Talibs to wrap up the game under a slightly changed game plan.

Knowing the unreliability of one Mr. Trump, one should not keep ones hopes too high on his promises. And do remember our next door friendly neighbor will do all and some more, in its power to deny any or all of the above mentioned programs.

This my humble representation of the facts as I see them and has nothing to do with disgracing anyone or doubting anyone's view etc.

 

[TsAr]

Sir, the deal that was being discussed with CENTCOM Chief is about better Military to Military coordination on the border, and to see where and how US Army can help in supporting the Fencing of the Border (This was asked for in the trip to US my our Chief) and stuff like that.

The Taliban talks are being run by the Afghan Affairs Section in the State Department with Ambassador Khalilzadeh, Secretary of State and Trump himself taking the point on this. That is why Khalilzadeh did not know of the collapse of the talks!!!

Trump and the administration, as per my knowledge, talked about lot of things in vague terms including, possible resumption of limited military aid, support of already in country US Manufactured Assets, extension of US Aid Mission Program, release of the 8 F-16 and the Cobras (after payment of the remaining amount is arranged by Pakistan -- these two items can be the first and the easiest things that can be done signaling change in relationship) upgrade programs possibly targeting the F-16 & the Orion a/c's, release of arrears on CSF but subject to audit being completed which was halted after reimbursements were stopped. This alone can take more than a year to pan out. The in-country team will have to be reformed/hired and sent to Pakistan to conduct audit on the ground as was being done previously. One of my old course mates came to Islamabad to conduct the audit from Dallas who is an ex US Army and now a Financial Consultant.

All of the above or any of the above items being delivered will depend upon the outcome of the US/Talib talks and the final deal that is hammered out. US tends to keep on changing the goal posts from time to time under pressure from the Afghan regime, Talib attacks etc. Therefore, thrashing out a deal between the two, is at best a difficult and time consuming game.

Please do remember, the attacks that came recently came out of a possible goal post change by either of the two parties. Trumps action was and is a tactic to put pressure on the Talibs to wrap up the game under a slightly changed game plan.

Knowing the unreliability of one Mr. Trump, one should not keep ones hopes too high on his promises. And do remember our next door friendly neighbor will do all and some more, in its power to deny any or all of the above mentioned programs.

This my humble representation of the facts as I see them and has nothing to do with disgracing anyone or doubting anyone's view etc.

Trump pulling out of negotiations seems to be pressure tactics. He has to deliver what he promised before the next year elections. I am pretty sure that all the parties would be back on the negotiating table very soon.