Pakistan Gets F16 -Blk70/72 | World Defense

Pakistan Gets F16 -Blk70/72

Khafee

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Pakistan to get F16 -Blk70/72
29 July 2019

Pakistan Air Force has been offered 18 to 24 Blk 70 F16's manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The current existing fleet, all of it will undergo an upgrade to the Blk 70/72 specs, as well as Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) to bring the life of the current aircrafts to 12,000hrs.

PAF has to yet accept the offer, or announce it publicly.

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Khafee

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The Question is: "Why is the US reaching out to the Pakistan?"

Two reasons:
1) China - Pakistan has slid so far into the Chinese camp, that is now a de facto province. Something which is extremely worrying for the Americans.

The Feb hostilities saw 3 PLAAF squadrons go to standby - in order to assist Pakistan if needed. PLAN sent 4 SSK , and 3 boomers, at least two Type 55 destroyers, other assets were also sent later after the ISI chiefs visit. PLA also went to full war time alert, ready to move in.

This is the main reason why IN choose to sleep out the hostilities.

2) India - India's incompetence hasn't gone unnoticed, neither has them becoming an economic threat to the US. To contain them, and move Pak away from the Chinese camp, to whatever extent possible. These are the two goals.

The US has a list of some 10~20 companies that are critical to National Security, LM, Boeing Raytheon, Cisco etc. Sensitive data has been steadily flowing to India, China, Russia, Israel, courtesy of Indians. The deep state has realized its folly, AND no president will work against the deep state.

The trade balance being lopsided, doesn't help them either.

Imran Khan, wants to make a change, a fundamental change in Pak, but decades old rot, bogs him down. He also has the support of the Army. All these things combined, has assured the US that Pakistan can be a useful ally after all.

Last but not the least, Pakistan's oil reserves slightly more than the UK's at 21bn BBL (min) doesn't hurt it either. By comparison Oman's Reserves are at 5.3bn BBL (approx).

Once all options are exploited, Pakistan will be exporting 1.2m bpd ~ 1.4m bpd. (this figure is after deducting domestic consumption).

Given the above, it is in US's national interest to rekindle its relationship with an old ally.
 

Khafee

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Indian defence team in US, to hold defence and military dialogue
August 1, 2019

A top-level Indian delegation headed by Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra reached Washington on Thursday and is expected to discuss military relations between the two countries. India is expected to raise objection over the proposed sale and assistance to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-16 fighter aircraft fleet.
(excerpt above, details in link below)

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/sto...ence-and-military-dialogue-1576254-2019-08-01
 

Timsah

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Block-72 Viper + Block-III Thunder combo will be a good match for the IAF Rafale's
India ordered 36 Rafales in 2016, yet to have received and I see Pakistan getting the F-16 Block 72 Viper before India gets a Rafale, I noticed when the US agreed to sell $125 Million in spare parts for the PAF F-16s, many Indians were crying and wanting the US to rethink their strategy.

India fears PAF's F-16 because most of PAF's capable pilots fly them bad boys.
 

Khafee

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India ordered 36 Rafales in 2016, yet to have received and I see Pakistan getting the F-16 Block 72 Viper before India gets a Rafale, I noticed when the US agreed to sell $125 Million in spare parts for the PAF F-16s, many Indians were crying and wanting the US to rethink their strategy.

India fears PAF's F-16 because most of PAF's capable pilots fly them bad boys.
The PAF follows the same doctrine as The US AF - The best pilots, get the best machines.
 

AliYusuf

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...I see Pakistan getting the F-16 Block 72 Viper before India gets a Rafale...
I don't think the Block-72s would be coming before the first of the Rafale deliveries, which are expected next month. But not so easy days ahead for the IAF as they have been used to in the past, that is for sure.

JF-17 Block-III is also expected to join the PAF next year, with first flight later this year.
 

Zhengzhou

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it's said that Rafale will be delivered to IAF next month, while as JF-17 Block III will begin trials soon for the PAF, with the first batch to enter service in the ~2020s. even though Pakistan has received a ton of help in the JF-17/FC-1 project, at least they are spending money on their frontline fighter equipping it with an AESA Radar, BVR AAMs, and some sources say Block III an EW suite will be introduced, as well as making exports to Nigeria, Myanmar and Azerbaijan.

on the other hand you have the IAF, which is buying jets from Russia and France, because their HAL can't get mass numbers of their glorious tejas ™¡£
It's also said that HAL is suppose to hand the Tejas MK2 to a private company and they hope alone with that it gets it's mass production started. They also said that the Pakistanis were thinking about phasing out the F-16s, because of too many restrictions, yet I seen them phasing out the Mirage 3/5 and F-7Ps before the F-16
 

Scorpion

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Any info on the radar installed on the Block III? I think the upgrade revolves around the radar, the stations, and the sensors.
 
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