Pakistan to buy only 18 F-16s

[sohailbutt]

I tend to agree with Ejaz. The source is some dubious unknown experts. It may be that the Government is trying to show its austerity measures, and they may have put a hold to further buying for the moment. The only other thing that comes to mind is that eitherJF17 has been more successful than earlier imagined or J10 now fulfils PAFs expectations. It may also be a preparation for change in US government as these deals may yet come under the microscope. Ithink we should wait and see how the situation evolves. One thing is for sure . InshaAllah, PAF will get the 18 F16s thatit has on order hopefully before the change over.
Araz

Even i agree cauz only DAWN has reported it, NO ONE ELSE!!!!

we should only trust this news when there is confirmation from other sources!!!!

 

[gnabi]

I think Pakistan has been forced to buy the F16s which are now otherwise obsolete machines because of sanctions on buying military hardware from a number of manufacturer countries. F16 does not rocks but sucks

 

[SABRE]

15 EF-2000 (if u mean eurofighter thypoons) for $2.1B..wow isnt tht cheap...its an expensive AC... like $150M a piece....

i strated this thread but i m much not savvy in ACs. but ik adha raptor lay lo bhai stealth mode zindabad...lay k phirtay raho kahin b hamsayon main...

F-22 Raptor cost $150 Million + , not the EF-2000. EF-2000 was coming at similar price as F-18 (last I checked). I'll try confirm its price.

 

[Energon]

If you look at the current threat perception and take the nature of the conflict into consideration, a large fleet of F-16s would be a massive waste of resources.

It looks to me like the government of Pakistan is actually getting their priorities straight, working towards peace with India through diplomatic measures and subsequently saving money on large ticket items that would really have a limited role in fighting an insurgency which is the biggest issue currently. PAF will be equipped with a large fleet of cost effective JF-17s in the upcoming future that will help them maintain credible force levels. The rest of the money acquired from the US will hopefully be used for social upliftment programs and infrastructure development in western Pakistan instead of unwarranted expensive military purchases.

If this is indeed how things work out, the GoP should be given credit for excellent policy making. They will certainly earn my respect and admiration.

 

[Neo]

There is another thread discussing the same. Mods can we merge the 2 threads and continue discussion.
regards
Araz

Done, please continue here.

 

[TOPGUN]

Wow well this news is not good at all but at the same time who know's if its true umm anyhow if it is then one should worry a bit for the future of PAF and the nation! we need to build or af back up perhaps to some other aircraft other markets or i guess no one is willing to sell or we just don't have the capital Furthermore, i just hope something good comes out of this soon out of somewhere wat do u guys think? please share your views !

 

[Quwa]

PAF only ordered 18 and kept another 18 as a possible option...hence any possible cut-off was pre-planned by PAF (no need to blame the new govt for this one I guess ). Though if you recall back in 2002-2004 Dawn wasn't all that reliable with its defence news, so as usual take the Pakistani media with a grain of salt. Best to wait for an official announcement on the issue.

 

[Xeric]

Is there any other source of this news apart from Dawn. According to defenseindustrydaily.com April 21, 2008 report the deal is going through. Defense purchases are not easy to reverse because it takes a lot of time before a deal is finalized. We should wait till further sources confirm this.

Even i agree cauz only DAWN has reported it, NO ONE ELSE!!!!

we should only trust this news when there is confirmation from other sources!!!!

I tend to agree with Ejaz. The source is some dubious unknown experts. It may be that the Government is trying to show its austerity measures, and they may have put a hold to further buying for the moment. The only other thing that comes to mind is that eitherJF17 has been more successful than earlier imagined or J10 now fulfils PAFs expectations. It may also be a preparation for change in US government as these deals may yet come under the microscope. Ithink we should wait and see how the situation evolves. One thing is for sure . InshaAllah, PAF will get the 18 F16s thatit has on order hopefully before the change over.
Araz

Have a look at this dudes......
these reports r older than the previous news tht i gave u ..but it does justify Dawns report..i supposed....all of these previous reports r saying the figure 18 in each of their reports...

Lockheed to supply 18 F-16s to Pakistan | smh.com.au

Pak to get new F-16s-Pakistan-World-The Times of India

Lockheed to supply 18 F-16s to Pakistan | Special Coverage | Reuters

(point to b noted.....all these above mentioned links quoted the news at diffrent times/dates)

Lockheed to supply 18 F-16s to Pakistan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp LMT.N> was awarded a $498.2 million contract to supply F-16 aircraft to Pakistan, the Pentagon said on Monday, as Pakistani officials mulled whether to go ahead with a January 8 election after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

Lockheed will sell 12 F-16C plus 6 F-16D planes to Pakistan under the contract, the Pentagon said in its daily list of defense contract awards. The Defense Department, which oversees sales of military weapons to foreign governments, did not say how soon the fighter jets would be delivered.

Pakistan has received about $10 billion in U.S. funding since 2001 because Washington views Pakistan as a key ally in President George W. Bush's campaign against terrorism.

Bhutto's death on Thursday wrecked U.S. hopes of a power-sharing deal between her and President Pervez Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 military coup but left the army last month to become a civilian president.

The United States has agreed to sell Pakistan up to 36 new F-16 jets together with refurbished F-16s.

Last month, two senior Democratic U.S. lawmakers urged the suspension of some U.S. military sales, including the sale of F-16 fighter jets, if Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf did not revoke emergency rule.

Lockheed, the Pentagon's No. 1 contractor, won a $144 million contract in 2006 for materials needed to build the F-16s.

(Reporting by Julie Vorman; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Toni Reinhold)

 

[blain2]

Guys,

This report is horse**** and as far as the F-16 program is concerned, it is on track as expected by the PAF.

PAF has only gone for the initial order of 18 blk 52s. The PAF has thus far not exercised the option for 18 more.

I have yet to read anywhere suggesting that PAF had gone for all 36. This never happened and I am not sure why this became a news report...sounds like another attempt to show the new government as acting frugally.

 

[Xeric]

Guys,

This report is horse**** and as far as the F-16 program is concerned, it is on track as expected by the PAF.

PAF has only gone for the initial order of 18 blk 52s. The PAF has thus far not exercised the option for 18 more.

I have yet to read anywhere suggesting that PAF had gone for all 36. This never happened and I am not sure why this became a news report...sounds like another attempt to show the new government as acting frugally.

if i remeber correctly the initial deal was of somewht like 50 to 60 f-16s...then it was brought down to 36..n ultimatley to 18..i m not sure of the timeline but there was some reason tht pak went down on the numbers at the first time....coz there was rumors of like getting other jets from some other countries also

 

[blain2]

You have to go by what the GoP officially asked for. News reports can say 55, 100, 36 or 18 and it does not matter.

The GoP has requested US to clear the sale of upwards of 36 blk52 F-16s. After getting clearance, the end user (Pakistan) has the option to exercise the purchase. Thus far PAF and GoP have exercised the option for 18 and they have an option for further 18. Thus a total of 36 F-16s are within the bounds of this contract.

So far, PAF has only decided to go for 18. So this talk of PAF not going for 36 is BS. When PAF decides that it wants the additional 18, the GoP would oblige. Contrary to what the article says, its not funding, rather the original approach taken by the PAF in 2005 which resulted in only 18 being bought along with upgrade/MLU kits for older F-16s and the weapons package.

 

[IceCold]

if i remeber correctly the initial deal was of somewht like 50 to 60 f-16s...then it was brought down to 36..n ultimatley to 18..i m not sure of the timeline but there was some reason tht pak went down on the numbers at the first time....coz there was rumors of like getting other jets from some other countries also

We went down on order because of the earth quake that we faced. Anyways, we need to exercise the option for 18 more of the new type and increase our force level for the new type not just the MLU. IMO if PAF wants to carry on with the jet, as it seems to be the case, then they should maintain a force level of atleast 50-60 block 52. India is already multiplying the MKI's, we cannot rely solely on just 18 of these birds. JF-17 will need time to become a mature platform and so is the J-10. They could be used as a force multiplier but not the force itself.

 

[Xeric]

We went down on order because of the earth quake that we faced. Anyways, we need to exercise the option for 18 more of the new type and increase our force level for the new type not just the MLU. IMO if PAF wants to carry on with the jet, as it seems to be the case, then they should maintain a force level of atleast 50-60 block 52. India is already multiplying the MKI's, we cannot rely solely on just 18 of these birds. JF-17 will need time to become a mature platform and so is the J-10. They could be used as a force multiplier but not the force itself.

besides ..... the earth quake...
the earthquke just delayed the deal further... our airforce leadership got the point tht we need not only to rely of F-16..no doubt one the best fighters...but u knw wht 1980s tech....so we need to look further now....Raptors n Eurofighter may not b witin our reach (and also we dont require to have them coz they r quite higher then wht we need, F-16 etc can fullfill our requiremnets aginst india...han agar USA say larai karni hai tu laiany paraygay,,,,)but we should b looking apart from F-16s

 

[IceCold]

besides ..... the earth quake...
the earthquke just delayed the deal further... our airforce leadership got the point tht we need not only to rely of F-16..no doubt one the best fighters...but u knw wht 1980s tech....so we need to look further now....Raptors n Eurofighter may not b witin our reach (and also we dont require to have them coz they r quite higher then wht we need, F-16 etc can fullfill our requiremnets aginst india...han agar USA say larai karni hai tu laiany paraygay,,,,)but we should b looking apart from F-16s

We are looking apart from the F-16s that includes the J-10 and the JF-17. However like i said they will still need time specially interms of avonics, so they are a good force multiplier but we do need to add a punch to the PAF's capability. Besides there are likely chances that if we go for the next batch of the F-16s, we might be authoritized for the AESA radar.

 

[ashfaque]

This is good step by GoP. This is insane if any country buys Fighter Jet of $5 B when cash reserve is only $15B.

People, just think about poors in our country, then need Roti, Kapada aur Makan not Jet.

And there is not threat from Indian side to Pakistan. Tell me any country who is doing every thing to grow its economy, how can afford to attack a nuclear power. Whole threat perception is illusion created by people who want to grab some money.