Joint Jordanian-US maneuvers in May

The Jordanian daily al-Doustour on Monday quoted Jordanian military sources in Amman as saying that Jordan is preparing joint military maneuvers with several countries. The paper said Jordanian-US joint annual live-ammunition training maneuvers are expected to start in May in al-Qatranah district, in southern Amman and that similar maneuvers will be carried out with British and French troops later in the year, MENA reported.

Next Friday, Jordan will receive two F-16 fighters from the US preceeding the delivery of another three airplanes of the same kind on March 29.

General Mohammed Dair said that after the delivery of these fighters, Jordan will have received 19 airplanes within the US aid program, according to which the US committed in December, 1996 to supplying Jordan with 16 modern fighters worth $215 million.