The Pakistanis have used their F-16s to bomb terrorist strong holds in Pakistan itself. They had a major push supported by US intel in the Wana region only recently. The AH-1 Cobras supplied also had a field day with the stronholds. The P-3s can be used in the overland role. The US use them extensively over Iraq and Afghanistan to pin point and direct other entities onto enemy positions.
While F-16s & P-3s can & do have an anti-terrorist role,I can't buy that argument as water-tight in the Pakistani context.For one,a Pakistani Mirage-3/5 or it's Chinese 'Fantans' can do the same ground attack jobs against the Slammics in Pakistan,unless ofcourse,the AQAF has become fully operational!!They have had access to Chinese & Italian technology to upgrade the avionics of those (old) planes,so delivery of PGMs is not impossible.What strikes me as odd,is the number of F-16s they want in total(70) & their explicit request for AMRAAMs.
The argument for the P-3,TOW-2 ATGM & Phalanx CIWS must be examined in the same light.The TOW 2A variant the Pakistani Army seeks is equipped with tandem warheads,which is optimum against the T-72 & T-90 tanks of the Indian army,some of which maybe/are in the process of being equipped with reactive armour.Using this variant of the TOW is like using a F/A-22 to go after a grounded biplane.The Pakistani army's new 'Bhaktar Shikan'(xerox of some Chinese system)is more than sufficient & besides it's cheaper.You don't need a gun system that spouts out 4,500 rounds a minute to destroy terrorist dinghies-your 12.7 mm machine guns are the bet for that.Pakistan will be getting Harpoon missiles with their Orions-so draw your conclusions on that!!
This is so wrong. Pak airforce already has 100s of figther aircraft even to wage a war with india. How is it that they need to more aircraft just to drop a few bombs in the mountains? Think about that. It makes no sense.
Do you even realize that 5 years ago PAk was threatening India with a nuclear attack? Dont forget that India is fast becoming a major trading partner of the US. If india is attacked US interests will be harmed.