Pakistan to Exercise Options for More F-16s

[Xestan]

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Pakistan to Exercise Options for More F-16s

By USMAN ANSARI
Published: 15 Jul 2011 17:36

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan is in the final stages of exercising an option to buy 18 more F-16 Block 52+ fighters, which would double its fleet of the Fighting Falcon's advanced variant, said Haris Khan of the Pakistan Military Consortium think tank.

Deliveries of the 18 "Peace Drive I" planes, currently Pakistan's most capable aircraft, were completed in December under a 2006 contract. The contract, including the 18-plane option, was then valued at $3 billion.

A planned upgrade to F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft will bring them up to the Block 40 standard as well. They are currently being put through the Falcon STAR (Structural Augmentation Roadmap) program, and undergoing Mid-Life Update (MLU) at the hands of Turkish Aerospace Industries in Turkey.

In 2006, the value of 60 MLU kits was quoted as $1.3 billion. The upgrade was approved for 45 Block 15s, and now has been curtailed at 35 planes, Khan said.

The reason for this is uncertain.

Khan notes that U.S. Navy has refused to release 14 ex-Pakistani F-16s that were part of the "Peace Gate III/IV" order of 71 planes. These aircraft were embargoed before delivery under the Pressler Amendment in the 1990s and eventually found a home with the Navy's aggressor units.

The news of curtailment in the F-16 upgrade program comes a week after it was reported the upgraded aircraft will be equipped with the ITT Systems AN/ALQ-211 (v)9 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) electronic warfare pod.

The $49,097,182 firm fixed price Foreign Military Sales contract will provide systems software and support equipment 18 pods, four pod shells, two antenna coupler sets, two lab test benches, and data.

There may also be new equipment for the Pakistan Navy.

Khan said there was no news as of yet on acquiring additional pair of P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft to replace those destroyed in the May 22 terrorist attack on PNS Mehran in Karachi.

However, there was a very strong possibility another Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate would be transferred to Pakistan when it was retired from USN service later this year.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php...38&c=AIR&s=TOP

[Storm Force]

Great war plane AND the best option in a one on one knife fight with the IAF su30mki.

Despite all the hype and bravado of Thunders and FC20 i stil feel most pakitanis would take sanction free F16/52s any day over both Thunders & fc20.

GREAT COMBAT PROVEN MULTI ROLE FIGHTER

IMAGINE A PAF fleet with 150 F16/52s

[RaptorRX707]

^Thank you for superb analyst, you are the best. Now pls get loss.

side note: "A planned upgrade to F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft will bring them up to the Block 40 standard" I thought F-16s Block 52 ????

[graphican]

What is the estimated cost of one new F-16 block-52 we are to get? any safe guess?

[AsianUnion]

Pakistan to Exercise Options for More F-16s
Deliveries of the 18 "Peace Drive I" planes, The contract, including the 18-plane option, was then valued at $3 billion.

Pakistan to Exercise Options for More F-16s - Defense News

$3 billion for 18 sanction prone F16s not even block 60 standard. I hate it!!!!

Pakistan can have 50+ Brand new Jf17s, J10s and even look for J20 Stealth aircrafts, we need to build our production base first than go for thankless greedy Americans!!!! PAF cant even hunt intruding helicopters and drones since the excuse is govt doesnot allow it.

[Xestan]

$3 billion for 18 sanction prone F16s not even block 60 standard. I hate it!!!!

Pakistan can have 50+ Brand new Jf17s, J10s and even look for J20 Stealth aircrafts, we need to build our production base first than go for thankless greedy Americans!!!!

Terrible news!!!

Well, I hope this news turns out to be false, it's better to go for J-10Bs and get more advanced version of our Thunders, we should not waste money in these, I don't know what's up with PAF's top brass, there must be something!

[RaptorRX707]

$3 billion for 18 sanction prone F16s not even block 60 standard. I hate it!!!!

Pakistan can have 50+ Brand new Jf17s, J10s and even look for J20 Stealth aircrafts, we need to build our production base first than go for thankless greedy Americans!!!! PAF cant even hunt intruding helicopters and drones since the excuse is govt doesnot allow it.

I agree, yaar but it was original contract from 2006. Basic JF-17 starting production (in 2007), J-10B (2010), J-20 (2011)

Block 60 is including IRST and advanced engines, not including in F-16 Blk 52, only minor differences.

[graphican]

Clear me one thing if you may,

we cannot upgrade or install anything on F-16s on our own without us consent? yaa? In case IRSTs are not included, F-16 BLK-52 would fly till the end without them unless US takes some mercy and considers its installation.

[Arsalan]

side note: "A planned upgrade to F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft will bring them up to the Block 40 standard" I thought F-16s Block 52 ????

no, the MLU and STAR upgrades will bring the existing fleet of PAF Block 15 F-16 up to block 40 standard.

i dont thing buying more F-16 will be a good choice. with J-10b around the corner, we must get more of these sanction free fighters, specially provided that these are as good as the block 52z!

regards!

[Arsalan]

Clear me one thing if you may,

we cannot upgrade or install anything on F-16s on our own without us consent? yaa? In case IRSTs are not included, F-16 BLK-52 would fly till the end without them unless US takes some mercy and considers its installation.

the IRST for PAF Block 52 was never as option. if we planned to get these, we would have gone for block 60.
i guess the plane for future for PAF is going to be the J-10b fo atleast next 10 to 15 years and that have it all! :-)

regards

[mafiya]

A Plane that America has assured can never be used in Offensive purposes by Pakistan, we are still buying it? Top Brass must have a strong reason behind this!

[ANTIBODY]

MLU PAF F-16s are getting are customized rather than standard MLU-3 or MLU-4.http://www.defence.pk/forums/militar...prospects.html

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

These extra F16 are not really a must must to have but why can't we just buy one of the F16 factors that are about to be shut down in 4-5 years - and transfer the technology of F16 to Pakistan ?

I think its better investment if we love F16 so much

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Great war plane AND the best option in a one on one knife fight with the IAF su30mki.

Despite all the hype and bravado of Thunders and FC20 i stil feel most pakitanis would take sanction free F16/52s any day over both Thunders & fc20.

GREAT COMBAT PROVEN MULTI ROLE FIGHTER

IMAGINE A PAF fleet with 150 F16/52s

Well these planes are not bad , well obviously they offer cetrain advantages but Pakistanis feel more closer to J10B and thunder
100 Thunders, and 36 J10B confirmed by end of year

Now the F16 C/D was always part of plans - I mean its wonderful plane but I mean we really have other focus

18 More planes for Pakistani Airforce - is a great thing watch out !!!



Fleet of 80 odd F16 is perfect for Pakistan Airforce's modernization plans
Together with our JF17 thunders 100 planes
we can now finally think of retiring some older crafts


I am more excited by the one line in end

That promises of OHP frigate

[UmairP]

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No please!
Divert the funds to J-10/FC-20 and JF-17 program, please!