Alright, listen:
PAF requested for original blk 52s, they said NO Aesa, sorry
We asked again, and again, only to be refused again, so the message is pretty clear, no SABRs or RACRs or any aesa for f-16s. Evm the turk one will need their permission for integration, which will never come. In fact, we were lucky that they didnt refuse us the V9s, heck they initially offered 66V2s for MLU upgrade, which was inferior to our Grifo M3s by a long shot. In short, PAF has accepted the f-16s as they are and will just invest in numbers till they reach 100+, and thats it.
On Euros, CAESAR will be operational someday right? But it will go over 100 million, out of PAFs reach. Fench are busy with indians so no rafs for PAF, evn if they were, theyll cost around the same.
Regarding AWACS, Saab has fixed Aesa grids which covers 150 degree on each side, 300 degree on both. But, zdk houses Aesa dish that can rotate, so call it pesa if you will but it is an aesa modul that happens to rotate, and provides full 360 degree scanning as a result. The KJ-500 and zdk-03 share a lot of tech, much like the jf-17 and j-10.
*PAF is thinking on these lines, churn advanced blks of jf
*Buy used f-16s and give them mlu at best, take their numbers to 10+, squeeze them like Mirages
*Go fifth gen, and develop a foundation to at least ovehaul, assemble and even upgrade them at AMF KAMRA.
No advanced fourth gn fighter fits in between apart from jf-17 blk 3 and onwards will take that role.
