Morocco is close to signing a deal for F-16 block 70

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

A bad choice, because whatever USA sells, it comes with strings attached.

Morocco should have bought planes from China or Russia.

Atleast no strings attached.

Or better yet should have invested in JF-17 fighter program to make advanced fighter jets indigenously.

Arkadash-im, it's not everybody's job to be that strategic!!!!

 

[DOUBLESHOT]

Arabs aren't allowed F-35. Only Israel and Japan are allowed F-35. If I were Morocco I go for Gripen E or JF-17 Block 3 which have AESA.



Two bad points. 1. It's still got pitot which makes it look ancient. 2 It had Block 60's IRST deleted so Americans don't pay royalty to UAE which spend 3 billion USD for Block 60 development.

* Morocco don't have money to buy expansive aircraft such as F-35
* there is no JF-17 block 3 at the moment and you cant buy aircraft without EW suite .
* Moroccan F-16 will be quiped with IRST

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

* Morocco don't have money to buy expansive aircraft such as F-35

Not even Saudi Arabia and UAE are allowed F-35.

 

[Foxtrot Delta]

Block 70 haan. they made it so so heavy look at the thing! i bet they had to re-inforce all of that airframe with more materials for strength to hold that kind of payload and gizmo sensors. it doesn't look like an F-16 when fully loaded. isn't F-15 meant to do that thing?

 

[Raider 21]

They've moved the assembly line from the large production facility at Fort Worth, TX, to the smaller facility in the same complex to open the larger one for the F-35. The production is slated to continue until 2020 unless there is a new order large enough to continue the line (which is what they're looking for ATM with a possible deal like this one and some others etc.) and if they do land a good deal, the line will move to South Carolina.

They're still building the Iraqi F-16 blck 52s and completing that order.
Brand new Iraqi F-16D rolled out of the factory line being tested in California just last month.

Here I believe it is being flown by squadron pilots from Tuscon, it does not look like it is undergoing any testing without any of the test equipment on. Unless Edwards AFB Viper test pilots are putting it through its paces. Bahrain, UAE, Slovakia, Taiwan.....the F-16 production line is still going to go on for the next few decades.

 

[randomradio]

Here I believe it is being flown by squadron pilots from Tuscon, it does not look like it is undergoing any testing without any of the test equipment on. Unless Edwards AFB Viper test pilots are putting it through its paces. Bahrain, UAE, Slovakia, Taiwan.....the F-16 production line is still going to go on for the next few decades.

For production to go into decades, they need orders in the hundreds. 16 from Bahrain, 12 from Morocco etc won't help. At best they are probably hoping for 48 from Indonesia, which can keep the line functioning until the middle of the next decade, unless Indonesia opts for EDA instead. By then, the F-35 will open up for exports. The Polish could also opt for the F-35 instead.

It doesn't appear the UAE and Taiwan are interested in more F-16s, only upgrades.

 

[Raider 21]

For production to go into decades, they need orders in the hundreds. 16 from Bahrain, 12 from Morocco etc won't help. At best they are probably hoping for 48 from Indonesia, which can keep the line functioning until the middle of the next decade, unless Indonesia opts for EDA instead. By then, the F-35 will open up for exports. The Polish could also opt for the F-35 instead.

It doesn't appear the UAE and Taiwan are interested in more F-16s, only upgrades.

UAE is getting another 30 Block 61s....they have started working on new aircraft shelters and hangars to accommodate those either into a new squadron or absorb them in the current squadrons.

Bahrain might order another 20 jets....heard that as a rumor.

 

[randomradio]

UAE is getting another 30 Block 61s....they have started working on new aircraft shelters and hangars to accommodate those either into a new squadron or absorb them in the current squadrons.

Bahrain might order another 20 jets....heard that as a rumor.

Bahrain deal is possible, but I don't think the UAE deal has gone anywhere.

It was first mentioned by the DSCA back in 2013 or 2014, nothing's happened since then. All the UAE has done is get new upgrades in for existing jets. Probably blackmailing the US for F-35s instead, along with the Saudis.

 

[Raider 21]

Bahrain deal is possible, but I don't think the UAE deal has gone anywhere.

It was first mentioned by the DSCA back in 2013 or 2014, nothing's happened since then. All the UAE has done is get new upgrades in for existing jets. Probably blackmailing the US for F-35s instead, along with the Saudis.

UAE is waiting for a final word from US government approval. No blackmail there.

http://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/uae_13-60.pdf

 

[randomradio]

UAE is waiting for a final word from US government approval. No blackmail there.

http://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/mas/uae_13-60.pdf

2014. That's obviously expired.

 

[Raider 21]

2014. That's obviously expired.

Nope it hasn't. Unless you want it to expire then I don't know what to say.

Cheers !!!

 

[randomradio]

Nope it hasn't. Unless you want it to expire then I don't know what to say.

Cheers !!!

The requirement may not expire, but all FMS requests expire. They are not permanent. That's because the pricing changes after the expiry date. So, at best, 1 year.

If after nearly 5 years there's been no deal, then it's obvious the UAE has allowed the FMS request to expire. Which means, the process has to start from scratch again.

And to date, the UAE has only signed up for the F-16 upgrade deal.

Personally, I think the UAE is threatening to sign up with the Russians for the LMFI if the US doesn't sell them the F-35.

https://fas.org/asmp/campaigns/MANPADS/Chapter 5 FMS Case Development.pdf
The current contract for this item expires on [insert date] and an LOA must be accepted by [insert date] so that options can be added to the current contract.

 

[Raider 21]

The requirement may not expire, but all FMS requests expire. They are not permanent. That's because the pricing changes after the expiry date. So, at best, 1 year.

If after nearly 5 years there's been no deal, then it's obvious the UAE has allowed the FMS request to expire. Which means, the process has to start from scratch again.

And to date, the UAE has only signed up for the F-16 upgrade deal.

Personally, I think the UAE is threatening to sign up with the Russians for the LMFI if the US doesn't sell them the F-35.

https://fas.org/asmp/campaigns/MANPADS/Chapter 5 FMS Case Development.pdf
The current contract for this item expires on [insert date] and an LOA must be accepted by [insert date] so that options can be added to the current contract.

Just remember this.....they don't buy their F-16s via FMS....

 

[randomradio]

Just remember this.....they don't buy their F-16s via FMS....

That doesn't really matter. All deals will come with expiry dates after which the deal has to be renegotiated. The same almost happened with the Apache and Chinook deals India signed, and it wasn't FMS either. 18 months is the limit we could push it to.

But let's see what really happens here. Time will tell.