F-35 Nearly Six Years Away, Pakistan Buys F-16s

[HAIDER]

F-35 Nearly Six Years Away, Pakistan Buys F-16s

With the formal announcement that the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is now slated for full operational status in November 2015, a two-year delay from the earlier target, the decision to mothball the F-22 Raptor production line looks worse as time passes. True, the two planes are not clones--both are needed. The JSF program is an export fighter to supplant the venerable F-16. Pakistan is a case in point....

Team Obama is selling high-end military gear to Pakistan: advanced smart bombs, drones & late-model F16s. This is part of a deepening strategic relationship between the US & Pakistan. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius cautions his countrymen not to fall in love with Pakistan yet, a wise suggestion.

Bottom Line. America under Obama is continuing the Bush 43 policy of broad engagement with Pakistan. After nearly a decade of often seemingly futile efforts, the cooperation long sought seems to be coming to pass, and with a democratic & competent government in Islamabad.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics
F-35 Nearly Six Years Away, Pakistan Buys F-16s - LFTC - Letter From The Capitol
(confusing statement ?,Seems like after 2015,Pakistan has option of F35.Once in full production line)

 

[amoverlord]

how much f35 costs??
i read somewhere that LM will sell this fighter to india, if india chooses f16 in mmrca......is this true??

 

[razgriz19]

how much f35 costs??
i read somewhere that LM will sell this fighter to india, if india chooses f16 in mmrca......is this true??

yea..i heard it too..

 

[araz]

F-35 Nearly Six Years Away, Pakistan Buys F-16s

With the formal announcement that the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is now slated for full operational status in November 2015, a two-year delay from the earlier target,

What do they expect pakistan to do till then.Our problems are HERE and NOW not 2015 away.Our enemy is not touting stealth tech that we have to match. The F16s are our need now for the WOT, in which Pakistan has been a valued ally.

Team Obama is selling high-end military gear to Pakistan: advanced smart bombs, drones & late-model F16s. This is part of a deepening strategic relationship between the US & Pakistan. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius cautions his countrymen not to fall in love with Pakistan yet, a wise suggestion.

Media associated scare mongering indicating a total lack of knowledge about twhat pakistan has done for the US. He is well advised to ask Gen Mc crystal and the Admiral why they are so full of praise before he opens his mouth again.

Bottom Line. America under Obama is continuing the Bush 43 policy of broad engagement with Pakistan. After nearly a decade of often seemingly futile efforts, the cooperation long sought seems to be coming to pass, and with a

democratic & competent government

in Islamabad.

The only reason things are working out for the moment is because it is in both countries' interests to ensure that things do not get totally out of hand. And that last gem about the government of Pakistan!!SAY WHATTTTT????? tells you how much they know about us.

As to F35 for PAF, you can forget it man!!
Araz

 

[Rank]

We dont need F35... we need just more and more F16 we happy with that!! we even not demanding BLK 60 ... our need is BLK 52 which we can afford either its 50 100 or 150...

ham utnay paon phelatay hain jitne chadar hoo!

 

[HAIDER]

Well F35 is not extremely high tech plane in US inventory,except VTOL. Its basically a open source project for NATO country. Only F22 which is beyond reach to any country, even US refused to Japan and Australia.
So, there are chances of induction in PAF in 10 to 12 years. Its a single engine and A2G, that has the possibility of induction.F-35 is a cheaper multirole plataform.Well it has so many things common to F16, from weapon to engine.

 

[TOPGUN]

F-35 not happening any day soon .. we are happy with our f-16's give us more f-16's blk 52's and call it a day.

 

[Kompromat]

I dont think we will Buy F-35 in the First place because of multiple factors.
Because:

We need to Finish Thunder Program
We Need to Complete FC-20 Development and Integration in PAF.
2015 is the Year when PAF would have some Peace in terms of Technology implications and then any decision would be taken in my opinion either towards Jxx or F-35 (Which i dont think we will buy)

 

[Quwa]

I remember the days when people were saying things like, "PAF will never get Block-52+...", or "JF-17 will never fly/enter service"...or "Sweden will never sell Erieye". But then, how did things turn out? In any case, the F-35 is geared for export, and if PAF were to openly pursue a 5th-generation fighter, it will be somewhere on the list - regardless of all the 'blah blah' against American equipment.

I don't doubt that PAF will contact China for a 5th-generation solution, but I don't think it will enter production before 2030-2035 given the fact that JF-17 is just entering service and that FC-20 is still in testing. However, can PAF afford to wait until then for a 5th gen fighter? Probably not, and until its own favourable solution comes to the fore, it will need to pursue available options - and F-35 is or will be one of them.

 

[umair86]

F-16 is the last US fighter PAF will ever fly no more American fighters

 

[Quwa]

F-16 is the last US fighter PAF will ever fly no more American fighters

You could very well be right, but I still wouldn't make definitive statements such as the above...nothing is assured. Unless we see a dramatic 180, Pakistan and the U.S. see themselves in a long-term relationship...if it went for 50+ years before, and continues today, then why not more in the future?

 

[Luftwaffe]

Mark Sien...about favorable solution If and when which I think is close to reality, Pakistan gets F-35 what are the implications IF Chinese 4th Generation (5th Western) gears up and Pakistan decides to chip in could US impose sanctions, reminding us of pressler amendment, under the pretext of technology breach. F-16 is something else F-35 is different case, even though Pakistan will sincerely give all sorts of assurities would us take it?..

 

[Quwa]

Mark Sien...about favorable solution If and when which I think is close to reality, Pakistan gets F-35 what are the implications IF Chinese 4th Generation (5th Western) gears up and Pakistan decides to chip in could US impose sanctions, reminding us of pressler amendment, under the pretext of technology breach. F-16 is something else F-35 is different case, even though Pakistan will sincerely give all sorts of assurities would us take it?..

The U.S. can impose safeguards/restrictions on the station of the F-35 - like it has done with the F-16s. For example, state that its systems be reviewed time to time, ensuring that maintenance methods were followed to the letter, etc. These are normal procedures that have always been there for Pakistan, and will continue to be around in the foreseeable future.

On the other hand, selling F-35 to Pakistan would yield several big benefits for the U.S:

1. Some cash
2. Greater interoperability with the Pakistani forces
3. Greater confidence and stature within the PAF to participate overseas operations.
4. Greater trust within the U.S. industry & state by key Pakistani officials.

 

[dexter]

I think US will not give F-35 to PAKISTAN because INDIA and ISRAEL will oppose it!

 

[Pak123]

The unit cost of this plane is US$192 million dollars !
I dont think so that we will be going after this plane with such a huge price tag, anyways senior members can throw on some light.

F-35 Lightning II - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An F-35 Lightning II, marked AA-1, lands on 23 October 2008 at Edwards Air Force Base.

Role Stealth multirole fighter
First flight 15 December 2006
Introduction 2014 (Marines' first squadron) 2016
(USN, USAF)
Status Under development, in flight testing
Produced 2003–present

Number built 13 flight-test aircraft
15 LRIP aircraft on order.
Unit cost US$192 million (flyaway cost, 2010
dollars)
Developed from Lockheed Martin X-35