The F16s that landed in pakistan in 1983 were its BLK15-30 models of F16A/Bs both were the very basic aircrafts of the f16 family. The had and even today never had any operational problems in our service nor in USAF or IDAF or in NATO. F16s with the passage of time got updated to the new and new capabilities enhancing their battle effectiveness to compete the Soviats that was cold war era. Its wasnt like the earlier models were faulty and USAF inducted faulty systems in its fleet that eventually be fazed out or updated with newer models, like u try to explain.
What yr not understanding or confusing is something indicated in the sources u shared as well. The were not inducted unless the proved their worth because in the case of US military it had in the past like Sherman tanks untill the Firefly version came or the best example is of M-4 assult rifle and F4s. The M4s were inducted in a hurry in the vietnam theater since the beating they were getting there. But as it turned out the earlier models used to get jammed in the moist conditions, hence they were sent back and improved versions came within a few months which were inducted and remain in service since then.
The US military had such experience before as a whole, they wouldnt induct a system which dont satisfy their tri services.
The bottom line is that im not denying F16s may not had problems but was when it was still in testing and prototype phase not after its mass production was started. Yr wrongly comparing the 96 faults of arjun that it has today in 2015 after its serial production has started and its in the depots of yr army.
I am not wrongly comparing. Mybe you have not read my post carefully. Read it again. The problems I have been talking about remains during its 32 years of operational service. As it has been reported clearly that these technical snags claimed lives of many pilots till now. But UsAF & Lokheed Martin blamed pilot error for these accidents. So.much so that families has to higher investigators & file lawsuit against both airforce & Lokheed Martin which families won. A crash in every 20000 flight hours, it has been worst technical failure record for any single engine fighter.
It took Lokheed Martin to acknowledge the fact that F16 has serious issues.
About Arjun part, I will be rational here. As a tank project so far it has been a white elephant. Dependance on imported systems has seriously threatened it operational capabilities. But there has been a few good innovations to. For eg, Army is so impressed by NERA Kanchan Armour that they ordered DRDO to replace all T90s armour with Kanchan armor to increase survivebility. Yes army has pointed out 93 problem areas, in Arjun Mkii those improvements haa been made. Now its a complete different beast.
About me pointing out F16 roadmap as an example for both LCA & Arjun lets take a look.
First,
there was confidence that the early configuration of the F-16 would be superior.to the F-4 Phantom it was replacing, even though the performance specification had not been fully demonstrated.through testing.
In case of LCA to this point holds true. Sole purpose of building LCA was to replace Mig21s, even with all tech snags it is far superior to those mig 21 it aims replacing. A cheap point defence fighter to replace around 300 remaining migs. It will do its job no doubt. Only problem being Our AF officials are not that visionaire compared to UsAF officials. Instead of Inducting a point defence fighter they were demanding a mini MRCA from the developers. Only now, Manohar Parikar sir has ordered IAF to induct these aircraft as it is. I have a lot of respect to those PAF officials who inducted JF17 even when it couldnt fire a BVR. Thats called a vision.
Same can be said for Arjun too, it was developed to Replace T72s & it is far superior to T72. But for IA its a logistical nightmare.