We reported that Pakistan received two F-16s, even though Pakistani officials said they would hold off on a planned purchase of 80 new Vipers to save money for earthquake relief. The two recently delivered fighters were “gratis” from Congress, according to officials at Ogden Air Logistics Center. The ALC says the two F-16s were “excess defense articles” that they reconfigured to have the latest avionics and other upgrades approved for Pakistan. These two latest F-16s are more advanced than the ones currently flown by the Pakistan Air Force.
Pentagon officials overseeing homeland counter-drone strategy told lawmakers that even with preliminary moves to bolster U.S. base defenses, the military still lacks the capability to comprehensively identify, track, and engage hostile drones like those that breached the airspace of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 days in December…