Pakistan F-16 Discussions 2

[owais.usmani]

Peace Drive I - First F-16 unveiled​

October 13, 2009 (by Laurie Quincy) - Lockheed Martin unveiled the first of 18 new F-16s being produced for Pakistan in ceremonies today at its Fort Worth, Texas, facility. Officials including the Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. and Pakistan Air Forces were on hand to witness the event.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Quamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), accepted the first F-16 Block 52 aircraft on behalf of his nation. Also present were Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, and other senior officials.

The U.S. government was represented by Rep. Kay Granger, Texas 12th District, and Gen. Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

"Peace Drive is the flagship of modernization for Pakistan's Air Force. It is the latest configuration of the best 4th generation multirole fighter available in the world today," said John Larson, vice president of F-16 programs for Lockheed Martin.

The aircraft order is designated as "Peace Drive I," continuing a long tradition of naming F-16 international sales programs with the word Peace. The program raises the total number of F-16s ordered by Pakistan to 54. The Pakistan Air Force received its first F-16, in the Block 15 F-16A/B configuration, in 1982. Pakistan has been operating Lockheed Martin aircraft since 1963, when it received C-130B airlifters.

The Peace Drive I order is for 12 F-16Cs and six F-16Ds, all powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. The first aircraft – a two-seat F-16D model – will be delivered to the U.S. government (as agent for Pakistan in the Foreign Military Sales process) in December, with the remainder following in 2010.


Courtesy of Lockheed Martin



Peace Drive I - First F-16 unveiled

 

[dbc]

RIP MKI

 

[F-16.Net]

​

Air Chief Marshal Rao Quamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force delivering his remarks after the first F-16D block 52 aircraft was unveiled at Lockheed Martins, Fort Worth facility on October 13, 2009. [Photo by Lockheed Martin]​

latest photo and article courtesy of F-16.Net

 

[Beskar]

Great news for PAF! I even heard on the news that the first Block-52 has been handed over to the Pakistan Air Force. However, after this transaction of Block-52's is complete, Pakistan should gradually shift its focus on the upcoming Chinese hardware. We already have a 4.5 generation fighter deal with them in the pipeline and I believe we should explore our options more in the International market and stop relying on the American equipment.

We cannot afford to trust America with the newer platforms because of the usual delays and sanctions. Take a look at our AH-1 Cobra fleet for example. We've been cannibalizing them due to lack of spare parts and upgrades. I know this for a fact that Pakistan is also running out of its Cobra's 20mm chain gun ammo (something which POF doesn't manufacture) and US has still not responded to this urgent requirement by the Pakistan Army Aviation. Now we're planning to contact Turkish Arms Industry for this particular item. Problems like these will continue to haunt us in the future if we keep relying on the American equipment. The dependency on the US will keep costing us in future as well so it's better to get top-of-the-line equipment from other sources.

 

[sonicboom]

Deleted...

 

[MAB]

Well this news is good to hear. not too excited though of course i will be way more happy when I see them in Pakistan.

 

[Kharian_Beast]

Buying from America in smaller yet fruitful amounts (like Peace Drive and this entire 18 Block 52 plus 18 option deal) with a lot of spares and missiles is good. But remember the few hundred JDAM's and AIM's will run out at one time or other in the medium term future and either more will have to be bought from the US directly, Pakistan could access knowledge into the F-16 manufacturing process as the line is closing in the US after this deal and Turkey already has had access to such knowledge for years. Pakistan simply should be able to make Block 52's at her discretion as per the realization of what we have been doing in the WoT and regional balance requirements. India is well on her way to a monstrous airforce with complete TRANSFER OF TECH and will no doubt end up with 400+ 4.5 gen birds (Su30 + MRCA) and if PAF is left more than 4 times below IAFs capability then people in Pakistan are in big trouble.

 

[insight-out]

This is of course good news for PAF and Pakistan. But I am a little surprised at the level of excitement in this forum. Its not like we built these planes.

To be honest, I would be happier if we slowly tried to disengage ourselves from the Americans, in every possible way, including the purchase of defense equipment. Of course that is a long way off as the Americans still produce some of the best stuff, and we are a long way from achieving that level of technology. I would rather buy from someone else if given the choice.

Let me put it this way. Doing business with a guy who's burning my house and killing my friends is at best a necessary evil. Its good, but I'm not too excited.

 

[iioal malik]

after a long time good news..Qamar says F-16s to strengthen Pak-US ties - GEO.tv KARACHI: Air Chief Marshall Rao Qamar Suleman has said the provision of F-16s D aircraft will make US-Pakistan ties rather stronger, Geo news reported.

This he said while addressing the rolling out ceremony of F-16s aircraft to Pakistan here in Dallas city of US’s state of Texas on Tuesday.

According to sources, the First Block-52 F-16D aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) rolled out on Tuesday at a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (LM Aero) facility at Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas USA.

An ISPR (PAF) press release issued here on Tuesday evening said that the Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, attended the ceremony as the chief guest.

It said that Pakistan had signed a contract with US Government in September 2006 for supply of 18 Block-52 F-16 C/D aircraft from M/s LM Aero.

These state-of-the-art F-16s will bolster PAF’s fleet of high tech combat aircraft and will enable it to undertake wide variety of missions across the entire spectrum of operations.

 

[sonicboom]

Pakistan F-16 taxing in front of the Lockheed Martin assembly plant - 9/29/2009 11:49AM

 

[SMC]

Pardon my ignorance, but how is F-16 C/D that PAF is getting compared to MKI? Any info and comparison of F-16 C/D BVR vs MKI BVR?

 

[Beskar]

Nice image, Sonicboom. But the flag on the tail looks Photoshopped.

 

[sonicboom]

Pakistan F-16 Flying over Fort Worth, Texas 9/29/2009 12:07PM

 

[sonicboom]

Nice image, Sonicboom. But the flag on the tail looks Photoshopped.

Very smart, but these are real pictures which I got from my contact. I should be getting more pics soon.

 

[Beskar]

Very smart, but these are real pictures which I got from my contact in Lockheed Martin. I should be getting more pics soon.

I'm not doubting your source. But to an average person, the flag on the tail looks photoshopped. And pretty much all the photoshopped images are low in resolution to deceive the viewer. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't they supposed to deliver the birds without any markings and insignias? I'm pretty sure our AF workshops handle all the markings and flags on the newly procured aircraft.