New head of the Pakistani Air Force assumes command; Senate Committee asks Pentagon to delay implementing any reductions to the military
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    • According to reports, the new head of the Pakistani Air Force assumed command on March 19, 2012 as Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt was promoted to Air Chief Marshal, replacing the retiring incumbent, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman. Air Marshal Butt assumes command of the air force at a time when major equipment programs put in place by some of his predecessors will be coming to fruition, revitalizing the service. The F-16A/B upgrade, the JF-17 Thunder, FC-20 (a Pakistani specific variant of the Chinese Chengdu J-10B), Erieye AEW&C, Karakorum Eagle AEW&C, and aerial refueling tanker programs are all set to be either be completed or continue.1

    In another development, according to reports, the leaders of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee have asked Defense Secretary Leon Panetta not to implement any reductions to the military until the congressional defense committees have the opportunity to respond to the Pentagon’s 2013 budget request. A letter to Panetta signed by Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., stated “We request that you not take actions to implement decisions that would be difficult or impossible to reverse by anticipating congressional approval of what may turn out to be very contentious proposals before the committees have had an opportunity to propose bills reflecting their responses to the fiscal 2013 budget request,”. Levin serves as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, while McCain is the ranking member.2

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