Islamabad, Jan 21, SPA -- The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is considering buying a mix of new and used F-16 fighter jets, says Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat. Addressing members of the English-speaking Union of Pakistan (EUP), he highlighted the PAF's high deterrence value and said Pakistan was fully capable of defending itself hoping that there would be no war. Air Chief Marshal Saadat said that maintaining a strong and credible defense was expensive, and added that the PAF needed hardware worth $3-4 billion to maintain a minimum deterrence capability. The PAF chief said that various versions of F-16s were available to PAF from the United States. "We are also considering buying used F-16s from elsewhere. However, we will prefer a mix of new and old F-16s fighter planes for the PAF," he said. He also affirmed that the PAF was focusing on strengthening its reconnaissance and surveillance capability, strike power, detection of enemy aircraft, platform to combat and weapons for defense.--SPA 11 08 Local Time 08 08 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/320137