exactly but that unit cost is of dry plne its going to increase but atleast 25-30 million with complete weapons,sensors,repairs package anyways a fighter jet is no good without its weapons i know that but my point was different on earlier post bro.
Really they do have so much money wow then why dont they simply buy those f 16s or any other plane j 10, rafel , gripen , sukhoi etc etc to bridge short term gap ???
and even with block 3 upgrades f 16 block 50/52 will still have edge over jf 17 bro which is atleast few years away. just imagine an f 16 with aesa if you upgrade those f 16s it already has a amazing litning pod powerful engine HMD/S and even compatible with IRST, best electronics jammers.
See you didn't get my point, we have money and we can buy those 8 F-16s even further 10 as well. But see what PAF wants to achieve?
1- As USA promised to fund those F-16s through FMF, that's why PAF go for those F-16s because it seems very cheep like in 270 Million dollar they will get 8 New Block 50/52 F-16s but when congress stoped the FMF then it is on PAF to bear full cost. Now for PAF, PAF actually wants to spare that money for JF-17 Block 3 although it is 3-4 years away but the working is going on to purchase a complete package for Block 3. So for that matter PAF willing to invest on Block 2 and Block 3 package.
2- We can buy J-10 and grippen or sukhoi but see its not only the aircraft that we will buy it and it will be operational. See for inducting a new platform there would be a lot more investment required to ope rationalize that jet from infrastructure to ground crew training, engineering training, pilot training, tactics development and many other things will cost 2 to 3 times more than the cost of the aircraft so for a new platform minimum 4-5 years required to be fully induct a new platform and operationalize it on combat duties. But for F-16s, there is no difficulty to absorb new F-16s because every thing is already there so it would only cost the aircrafts. That 's the reason why PAF going for F-16s because infrastructure is here and subsidized by USA itself. so in other meaning Pakistan will get these F-16s almost free.
3- And see Pakistan will procure old F-16s and upgrade them with block 50 standards but as far as AESA on F-16a are concerned then there is no chance in near future because USA not allowed to upgrade PAF F-16s with AESA. So F-16s whether Block 15 MLUs or Block 52s in PAF would be without AESA.
4- AESA on JF-17s will make it a formidable fighter along with IRST and HMS/D with Fifth Generation IRIS-T or A-Darter. So yes weight carrying capabilities, power ful engine, range , ECM and hard points, F-16s Block 52 will have an edge over JF-17s Block 3. But in terms of radar, IRST, Fifth generation missile and other variety of ordanance JF-17s will have an clear edge over F-16s Block 52.
Like For Naval Role, USA didnt allow our F-16s to carry Harpoon, USA refuse to release AIM-9X. So in that case JF-17s can carry long range AShM, Cruise missiles and High off boresight missiles.
And for J-10s and Grippen, those fighter will not change the PAF battle of order so much because J-10 is supplement by JF-17 and F-16s in capabilities even Block 52s are supperior than J-10 A/B. and Grippen can be supplement by JF-17s and Block 3 will come close to Grippen NG in terms of performance.
So for inducting new platform like J-10 and Grippen, it would be wise that PAF should stick to JF-17s and F-16s.
And if PAF really wants to add a new platform then they should go for SU-35 or EF (Which is too expensive).