That why USAF is keep them operational for atleast 2048.F-16 Is obsolete....... F-35 is the new champion of the sky....
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That why USAF is keep them operational for atleast 2048.F-16 Is obsolete....... F-35 is the new champion of the sky....
A rare close up of a PAF Viper tanking with USAF KC-135 during Red Flag.
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F-35 is the replacement for F-16....That why USAF is keep them operational for atleast 2048.
Savage..That why USAF is keep them operational for atleast 2048.
i pretty much think f-16 era has ended, pakistan also doesnt seem to be interested spending big on fourth gen fighters especially when it has its own "gripen" the thunder, this is clearly hinted in recent interview with PAF chief who mentions that JF-17 will be taken to peak of fourth gen fighters, in long run just like sweden was able to bring down its operating cost alot with gripen, we will be able to replicate it with thunder in numbers
Pakistan would jump at used deal like what Indonesia got 24 c/d~ 750 with training and 8 spares to block 52 standard(meaning for PAF a similar deal would be even cheaper nearing the price of thunder). ROSE deal brought local manufacturing of avionics and radars under licence with independence of integrating home built weapons.Very decent overview mate! With maybe a caveat thrown
in that if a correctly priced offer for F-16s, even for parts,
came around, it would make sense to get these so that it
would sound reasonable.
I mean for example at both end of the spectrum : -a very
unlikely "gift" financed in part by the USA for new planes
and -getting older frames to pick for maintenance in the
very long lead to a program à la ROSE Pakistan excels at.
Those fit the available means? Meanwhile, you have the
Thunder and the ongoing learning / creating cycle of its
cooperative frame. That's where the money should flow
for now ( after operational needs OFC ) unless a newer
cooperation arises with long term gains.
As I've expressed before, taking into account its size, its
means ( $ ) and the threat matrix, Pakistan should play
the air denial with missile batteries over the glacis which
waves of enemy fighters will roll unto with the PAF "only"
swatting down stragglers. Unless the idea is to start a war?
And since the F-16s and Thunder can do that and will
get better at it for the second with a knowledge profit
for the nation's engineers, it might make sense to find
a nice COIN bird to replace at least some of the Mirage
and Chengdu. That will save a lot on operations from
which part may go to equip the BoGs and the rest be
saved for the next acquisition of a new type of fighter.
Hopefully, the economy will have grown by then and it
will allow for a no compromise choice?
I expect Thunder numbers to go up personally. ( Past 150 )
Good day to you, Tay.
If that's possible again...then Venezuela should've retired their F-16s as well and they're still doing fine...Pakistan would jump at used deal like what Indonesia got 24 c/d~ 750 with training and 8 spares to block 52 standard(meaning for PAF a similar deal would be even cheaper nearing the price of thunder). ROSE deal brought local manufacturing of avionics and radars under licence with independence of integrating home built weapons.
i doubt USA will offer anything below 100 million or will offer ToT with avionics or anything like it did with turkey or other patner nations and thus f-16 era has ended for PAF
Pakistan would jump at used deal like what Indonesia got 24 c/d~ 750 with training and 8 spares to block 52 standard(meaning for PAF a similar deal would be even cheaper nearing the price of thunder). ROSE deal brought local manufacturing of avionics and radars under licence with independence of integrating home built weapons.
i doubt USA will offer anything below 100 million or will offer ToT with avionics or anything like it did with turkey or other patner nations and thus f-16 era has ended for PAF
That why USAF is keep them operational for atleast 2048.
Savage..
Original design per paf history book jf-17 will be 70% is paf requirements i.e. 70% fleet will be jf , with total 18/19 fighter sqn not counting no 1 fcu, it is about 13 sqn so 13x about 20 per sqn (16-18 plus 2-4 attrition replacement over life time) or 260 jf needed remaining will be f16 or 2 sqn of new type plus 4 existing f16 sqn
Guessing
IIRC AM (R) Shahid Lateef saying on TV once that the JF-17s will be produced in Blocks. So if there are to be 150-200 or even 200-250 slots, then that might mean we'll see Block-IV and Block-V variants. In all likelihood it'd make sense to base those from the Block-III, but iterative improvements, e.g. EW/ECM, avionics or even radar might be seen down the line.Good guess. If JF-17 Block-3 is anything like what most here expect, then it should be produced in numbers as the most numerous type. It should out-number Block-2 at least. If there has to be an air war, I would much rather our enemy face Block-3 instead of Block-2.
F-16 is an old story now. There is nothing in it for Pakistan unless US Admin changes its course. Unless we get good second-hand units, investing in F-16 make little sense.
New Recruit
Looks like older f15 will go and some around 500 f16 will go through SLEP to keep them flying till 2050The future of F-35 is still disputed in the US, with several concerns raised. This is big business and big money, and there is much pressure to stop F-16 production in favour of F-35, but it may all change with the new administration. There is still some potential in F-16, and it may well serve until the arrival of unmanned aircraft.