India's air defence system shot down two Pakistani F-16 fighter jets on Thursday evening. This comes after Islamabad launched attacks at multiple locations in Jammu and Punjab. The F-16 fighter jet is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly manoeuvrable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations. 1. The F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometres), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy. 2. It can defend itself against enemy aircraft and return to its starting point. 3. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions. 4. The lightweight of the fuselage is achieved without reducing its strength. 5. With a full load of internal fuel, the F-16 can withstand up to nine G's -- nine times the force of gravity -- which exceeds the capability of other current fighter aircraft. Moreover, the cockpit and its bubble canopy give the pilot unobstructed forward and upward vision, and greatly improved vision over the side and to the rear. The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement creating a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. These countries jointly produced with the United States an initial 348 F-16s for their air forces.