Pak-US joint military counter-terrorism exercise concludes

A nine-day long joint counter-terrorism exercise between troops of Pakistan and the U.S. aimed to gain experience from each other in the domain of counter-terrorism and counter IED operations has concluded.

Inter-Services Public Relations, the military media wing of Pakistan Army in Rawalpindi in a statement said that joint exercise called 'Inspired Gambit' was taking place in South Carolina, USA, Inter-Services Public Relations and ended on Thursday.

Troops from Special Services Group and Aviation participated in the exercise.

The statement said that the Pakistan Air Force pilots earlier this month received appreciation for bringing unique set of skills to the U.S. air exercises, which allowed their forces respective air forces to continue building and strengthening their relationship.

According to the statement, the Pakistan Air Force F-16C/D aircraft travelled over 7,700 miles to participate in Red Flag 16-4 exercises in Washington from August 15 to 26.

"Pakistan brought a unique set of skills to the exercise, from their willingness to collaborate to their motivation to get the most out of the training scenarios," the Nation quoted American general as saying as per the US Air Force News Service (AFNS).

Pakistan's Air Vice Marshal Syed Noman Ali said, "The F-16 has been the lynchpin in accomplishing our mutual desired objectives..At the strategic level it has been extremely valuable. On the capability enhancement and objective achievement on the ground, this aircraft has been the most useful."

The statement said that the exercise provided forces of both countries the chance to improve integration, further training and enhance the readiness of air operations.

Major General Rick B Mattson, chief of the U.S. Office of the Defense Representative in Pakistan said, "Absolutely phenomenal to have a partner who looked at this as an opportunity to not only get better as a force but also to better integrate with everyone else."

He appreciated the efforts of not only the Pakistani pilots, but also their maintenance team.

"I have a lot of experience in the Middle East and this is a very unique capability that they have. When you go through the maintenance facility, bays, it's all Pakistan enlisted working on these aircraft," he added.

Air Vice Marshal Ali asserted that whenever Pakistan have been together with the U.S. in terms of an exercise or other engagements it has been amazing, productive and mutually rewarding experience on both sides.

"Whether its actual strategies that have been going on in the region or it has been exercises that train for certain events, I would expect this type of relationship to grow stronger in the future," he added.