PAF F-16 mlu specifications and 36 blk 52+ prospects

[Syed Asif Bukhari]

well brother /sir with all deu respect im a very ignorant and non important person .... trust me

but the thing is every one knows that those 45 or so F16s indeed got powerfull engines and some engine and avionik upgrades to help them diliver contemprarry air to ground weapons and thats it they dont have the JHMCS or the HOBS AIM9X WVR missiles or the latest radar & EW & ECM suites of Blk52 level but i sure can be wrong


to all respected members and mods im just catching up with defnce related knowledge which i missed in some 5 months of my absence from PDF please ignoare my ignorence my queries are just for knowledge no trolling or Pun intended i respect PAF very much and all for indo pak normal relations and love pakistan

the main difference b/w F 16 MLU and F 16 50/52 is loiter time due to absence of CFTs in F16 MLU.

 

[<ScRipT>.<3DiT>]

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) are negotiating a deal to upgrade all of the PAF’s serving F-16s – its 74 Block-15 Mid-Life Update (MLU) and Block-52+. Although the PAF would prefer to implement the upgrade in Pakistan, it expects reluctance from the U.S. – cue Turkey.

A Turkish procurement official told Defense News that the PAF has not yet defined the upgrade, but the implementation process is expected to cost around $100 million U.S. This is close to the MLU that TAI implemented onto roughly 40 PAF F-16A/B Block-15s in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Comment and Analysis

Last week, we believed that the PAF was negotiating to get its 13 ex-Jordanian F-16A/B Block-15ADF (short for Air Defence Fighter) units upgraded to MLU standard. However, the report by Defense News clearly states that the upgrade program is for basically the entire PAF F-16 fleet.

If this comes to fruition, then it could be a significant program. First, it is important to note that the actual contents of this upgrade have not yet been defined. This is not surprising considering that the PAF would almost certainly secure the necessary subsystems and components from the U.S., TAI will simply do the integration work. This is all to be expected.

The most important question at this stage is, what is the PAF actually planning to upgrade? Could it simply be a structural life extension program (SLEP) for the airframes? Or could it perhaps be a comprehensive upgrade involving a new radar as well as on-board avionics suite?

If the latter, then the next step beyond the PAF’s existing MLU configuration would be the F-16V upgrade, which would be significant on a number of fronts. For one thing, it restores the F-16’s position as a serious qualitative driver within the PAF fighter fleet; the F-16V upgrade includes the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar as well as a cockpit upgrade.

For an understanding as to how an AESA radar would be beneficial, be sure to review yesterday’s piece about the JF-17 Block-III.

The F-16V upgrade is being implemented onto Taiwan’s 145 F-16A/B Block-20 (under a $1.45 billion U.S. deal signed in 2012). South Korea will upgrade its 134 F-16C/D to the F-16V configuration as well; it had awarded a $1.5 billion U.S. contract to Lockheed Martin in December 2015.

Whatever the case, the PAF is serious about pushing its F-16s through the upgrade – talks with TAI have already commenced. As for the specifics, we will have to wait and see. There is a high chance that the PAF may not be able to access the F-16V-upgrade, the U.S. Department of Defense may be reluctant to part with the technology (out of reservations with Pakistan’s ties with China). It could simply be a SLEP.

- See more at: http://quwa.org/2016/05/24/pakistan-planning-upgrade-f-16s/#sthash.fOY9rAtT.dpuf

 

[barbarosa]

View attachment 306910
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) are negotiating a deal to upgrade all of the PAF’s serving F-16s – its 74 Block-15 Mid-Life Update (MLU) and Block-52+. Although the PAF would prefer to implement the upgrade in Pakistan, it expects reluctance from the U.S. – cue Turkey.

A Turkish procurement official told Defense News that the PAF has not yet defined the upgrade, but the implementation process is expected to cost around $100 million U.S. This is close to the MLU that TAI implemented onto roughly 40 PAF F-16A/B Block-15s in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Comment and Analysis

Last week, we believed that the PAF was negotiating to get its 13 ex-Jordanian F-16A/B Block-15ADF (short for Air Defence Fighter) units upgraded to MLU standard. However, the report by Defense News clearly states that the upgrade program is for basically the entire PAF F-16 fleet.

If this comes to fruition, then it could be a significant program. First, it is important to note that the actual contents of this upgrade have not yet been defined. This is not surprising considering that the PAF would almost certainly secure the necessary subsystems and components from the U.S., TAI will simply do the integration work. This is all to be expected.

The most important question at this stage is, what is the PAF actually planning to upgrade? Could it simply be a structural life extension program (SLEP) for the airframes? Or could it perhaps be a comprehensive upgrade involving a new radar as well as on-board avionics suite?

If the latter, then the next step beyond the PAF’s existing MLU configuration would be the F-16V upgrade, which would be significant on a number of fronts. For one thing, it restores the F-16’s position as a serious qualitative driver within the PAF fighter fleet; the F-16V upgrade includes the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar as well as a cockpit upgrade.

For an understanding as to how an AESA radar would be beneficial, be sure to review yesterday’s piece about the JF-17 Block-III.

The F-16V upgrade is being implemented onto Taiwan’s 145 F-16A/B Block-20 (under a $1.45 billion U.S. deal signed in 2012). South Korea will upgrade its 134 F-16C/D to the F-16V configuration as well; it had awarded a $1.5 billion U.S. contract to Lockheed Martin in December 2015.

Whatever the case, the PAF is serious about pushing its F-16s through the upgrade – talks with TAI have already commenced. As for the specifics, we will have to wait and see. There is a high chance that the PAF may not be able to access the F-16V-upgrade, the U.S. Department of Defense may be reluctant to part with the technology (out of reservations with Pakistan’s ties with China). It could simply be a SLEP.

- See more at: http://quwa.org/2016/05/24/pakistan-planning-upgrade-f-16s/#sthash.fOY9rAtT.dpuf

Very good news to upgrade all the old air crafts fleets.

 

[Max Pain]

Is there any alternative to the F 16V upgrade.
An AESA equipped F 16 would change the game in subcontinent a lot.
USA wont allow that

 

[cloud4000]

this post is running again and again...

and as for f 16v i dont think pak can convince uncle sam to get them but may be saudi arab decides to donate some to pak

The most Pakistan will get are F-16s upgraded to Block 52+ standard. They will not be allowed higher than that.

 

[Syed Asif Bukhari]

this post is running again and again...

and as for f 16v i dont think pak can convince uncle sam to get them but may be saudi arab decides to donate some to pak

I think u are having some serious mental disorder . when did KSA buy F16 ?

 

[Manticore]

Based on the specs posted on page1 of this thread, there is not really a lot which can be upgraded over and above what has already been done via the mlu on [45?] fighters, other than sabr upgrade

I think PAF is just mlu-ing all the remaining fighters with the same avionics/radars/gadgets as that of the blk52+. They have already done that in 45 fighters I think.This will bring uniformity in the fleet

Dont know the cost of aesa upgrade to speculate the v- upgrade costs for 90 fighters, which the latest blog post by quwa implies
Pakistan is planning to upgrade all of its F-16s
http://quwa.org/2016/05/24/pakistan-planning-upgrade-f-16s/

 

[Shabi1]

The number of MLUs being contracted could mean Pakistan is planning to acquire further used F-16s and sending them for MLUs once the ex Jordanian ADF ones are MLUed.

 

[cloud4000]

The number of MLUs being contracted could mean Pakistan is planning to acquire further used F-16s and sending them for MLUs once the ex Jordanian ADF ones are MLUed.

Pakistan will only acquire used F-16s if MLU is allowed.

 

[Quwa]

TAI is saying that the PAF is in talks to upgrade 74 F-16A/Bs: the existing PAF fleet plus another 14 from Jordan. The implementation cost is expected to be $100m, but the PAF itself has yet to define the upgrade. In other words, it is in talks with the U.S. At the mininum it'd be SLEP, but V could be the end goal.

 

[RAMPAGE]

TAI is saying that the PAF is in talks to upgrade 74 F-16A/Bs: the existing PAF fleet plus another 14 from Jordan. The implementation cost is expected to be $100m, but the PAF itself has yet to define the upgrade. In other words, it is in talks with the U.S. At the mininum it'd be SLEP, but V could be the end goal.

What has TAI got to do with CAPES? CAPES is the upgrade which includes AESA among other avionics, Some of which, If I remember correctly, Were also a part of our MLU upgrade.

 

[Manticore]

The previous MLU incorporated Falcon STAR

TAI plan to upgrade 74 aircraft yet we only have 60 A/B
[45 MLU/ 15 non MLU]

 

[Dazzler]

45 upgraded to Blk40/42 level or Blk52 level do you have proofs /link to support your claim

Listen mate, you r a well known troll around here so stop pretending to be an innocent kid. Go troll elsewhere or I'll have to report you over again.

 

[Arsalan]

With all deu respect Doctor saheb they are not even Blk40-42 level MLU done on them and you are saying/dreaming of Blk52-52+ level MLU logic says if you already had got 45+ Blk52 level F16s why so much noise over just 8 new ones

What logic says that if you have got 45 planes the next 8 wont matter?

I don't think this " " is not a logic sir

to all respected members and mods im just catching up with defnce related knowledge which i missed in some 5 months of my absence from PDF

where were you gone for the 5 months dear? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[RAMPAGE]

@Quwa

Still waiting for your reply, Dear.