Lockheed funds F-16 suppliers, waits to finalize orders from Pakistan

[Zarvan]

Lockheed is now funding suppliers to ensure it will be able to build planes for Pakistan.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp is using its own funds to pay suppliers and stave off the closure of its F-16 fighter jet production line as it waits to finalise orders from Pakistan and other countries, a company official said on Tuesday.

Orlando Carvalho, who heads Lockheed’s Aeronautics division, said the cost of keeping the F-16 supply chain ready for further orders was "very manageable", but did not elaborate.

"We will have a gap in the production line because of the fact that there hasn’t been another order yet," Carvalho told Reuters in an interview at the company’s annual media day.

Lockheed is now funding suppliers to ensure it will be able to build planes for Pakistan and other countries after it wraps up work on 36 F-16 jets ordered by Iraq in 2017.

Congress and the United States (US) State Department are in talks about funding for a $700 million sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan that were approved by Congress last week.

The US Senate last week blocked a bid to derail the sale, but Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker has vowed to block the use of US funds to finance the deal.

Corker and other lawmakers have expressed concern about Pakistan’s nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorism and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process.

Other lawmakers and State Department officials support the sale, saying the South Asian state needs to modernise its air force and counter-terrorism activities.

The US named Pakistan as a key partner in its war against terror following the Sept 11, 2001, attacks and spent billions of dollars on military aid to help the country fight insurgents.

But there is growing concern in Washington about providing the same level of assistance to Pakistan unless it shows it is using the funds effectively to eliminate militants.

Carvalho deferred questions about the Pakistan sale to the US government, which is overseeing the deal. Bahrain, Colombia and Indonesia have also expressed interest in F-16 fighter jet orders, and other countries could follow in later years, Carvalho said.

He said Lockheed was working with the US government, which is in talks with India about possibly building F-16s in India.

Susan Ouzts, vice president of Lockheed’s F-16 program, told reporters that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed "substantial" interest in the plane during a recent meeting with Lockheed. She said Lockheed officials would travel to India next month with a formal offer.

Lockheed funds F-16 suppliers, waits to finalize orders from Pakistan - Pakistan - Dunya News

 

[Zain Malik]

I DOnt

Lockheed is now funding suppliers to ensure it will be able to build planes for Pakistan.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp is using its own funds to pay suppliers and stave off the closure of its F-16 fighter jet production line as it waits to finalise orders from Pakistan and other countries, a company official said on Tuesday.

Orlando Carvalho, who heads Lockheed’s Aeronautics division, said the cost of keeping the F-16 supply chain ready for further orders was "very manageable", but did not elaborate.

"We will have a gap in the production line because of the fact that there hasn’t been another order yet," Carvalho told Reuters in an interview at the company’s annual media day.

Lockheed is now funding suppliers to ensure it will be able to build planes for Pakistan and other countries after it wraps up work on 36 F-16 jets ordered by Iraq in 2017.

Congress and the United States (US) State Department are in talks about funding for a $700 million sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan that were approved by Congress last week.

The US Senate last week blocked a bid to derail the sale, but Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker has vowed to block the use of US funds to finance the deal.

Corker and other lawmakers have expressed concern about Pakistan’s nuclear program, commitment to fighting terrorism and cooperation in the Afghanistan peace process.

Other lawmakers and State Department officials support the sale, saying the South Asian state needs to modernise its air force and counter-terrorism activities.

The US named Pakistan as a key partner in its war against terror following the Sept 11, 2001, attacks and spent billions of dollars on military aid to help the country fight insurgents.

But there is growing concern in Washington about providing the same level of assistance to Pakistan unless it shows it is using the funds effectively to eliminate militants.

Carvalho deferred questions about the Pakistan sale to the US government, which is overseeing the deal. Bahrain, Colombia and Indonesia have also expressed interest in F-16 fighter jet orders, and other countries could follow in later years, Carvalho said.

He said Lockheed was working with the US government, which is in talks with India about possibly building F-16s in India.

Susan Ouzts, vice president of Lockheed’s F-16 program, told reporters that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed "substantial" interest in the plane during a recent meeting with Lockheed. She said Lockheed officials would travel to India next month with a formal offer.

Lockheed funds F-16 suppliers, waits to finalize orders from Pakistan - Pakistan - Dunya News

I Don't think that Pakistan should go for F-16 BLK52 or something And if they want something they can purchase Latest block 60 otherwise no.........!!!!!!!

 

[Blue Marlin]

I DOnt

I Don't think that Pakistan should go for F-16 BLK52 or something And if they want something they can purchase Latest block 60 otherwise no.........!!!!!!!

ask @Khafee if the uae will waiver the commission to make it that bit cheaper. has pakistani pilots flown the blk 60 of the uaeaf?

 

[cloud4000]

PAF wants 10 more F-16s BLK 52+ on top of the eight already ordered. If the line closes before the order is placed will PAF get the aircraft?

 

[Blue Marlin]

PAF wants 10 more F-16s BLK 52+ on top of the eight already ordered. If the line closes before the order is placed will PAF get the aircraft?

the line will continue till beyond 2020
they injected money in the line because the Pakistanis are due to get the jets very shorty next year. as far as approval is concerned its good and done, the techy bits and the signing is required. since its not been signed and a deposit has not been put down to start the contract, lockheed has put down its own money instead until the deal is signed.
Lockheed sees F-16 fighter jet production continuing through 2020| Reuters

 

[ZedZeeshan]

PAF wants 10 more F-16s BLK 52+ on top of the eight already ordered. If the line closes before the order is placed will PAF get the aircraft?

the prime purpose to build block 60 with AESA radar is try and grip the market which will be taken by EF 2000 and Rafale. although US got late in it because they were expecting to much from F35 which it did not deliver as yet in term of performance and price. many countries are cutting the number of F35 due to economic reasons as well as for higher price tag which even US did not anticipated. which is resulting in even more higher price. we can comfortably assume that F16 block 60 is easily eual to Rafale and EF2000