I am confused by F-16s that Pak will get. My understanding:-

Old F-16 – 38 less 2 crashed=36 will be upgraded for ? Million

New 18 F-16s have been purchased for ?? Million

New 12-18 F-16 “might” be purchased

Old F-16 which will be upgraded might be purchased 18 to 36?

So Is Pakistan looking at around 100 F-16s around 2015-16?

Ok, as far as I understand it, from the original 40 Block-15 OCU F-16s the PAF recieved in the 80s, 9 have been lost through attrition, leaving 31 from the original Peace Gate I-II programmes.

The 28 F-16s from the Peace Gate IV programme were embargoed, with them being equally split between the USN Agressor squadron and US Air Force Material Command (AFMC).

Of the 14 airframes with the AFMC, 12 have been returned to the PAF, while 2 remain in the US as pattern aircraft for the MLU upgrade of all the existing Vipers. So that makes 45 of the original Block-15 aircraft that will eventually be upgraded to Block-52 standard, the work will be performed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), which I beleive will commence later this year.

There’s still some uncertainty regarding the remaining 14 original Block-15 aicraft from Peace Gate IV with the US Navy Aggressor squadron, there was some noise from the PAF about getting these back, but considering the level of stress the airframes have been placed under, these may not be taken up by the PAF. Not sure if surplus units will be acquired from USAF stock.

MLU cost of Block-15 aircraft is USD1.3 bn.

Cost of new Block-52 aircraft, assuming option for all 36 aircraft is excercised, is USD3.0 bn. Assuming all 36 are ordered, PAF will have 81 F-16s, or 63, if the full option is not excercised. Still not sure of any additional airframes will be ordered to take the total towards the ~100 mark.

http://www.dsca.mil/pressreleases/36-b/2006/Pakistan_06-10.pdf

http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2006/Pakistan_06-09.pdf

http://www.tai.com.tr/prog.aspx?contentDefID=57&page=___Programs__NONE_____INTEGRATED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS__NONE_____F-16 PROGRAMS__NONE_____MODERNIZATION PROGRAMS__NONE_____PAF F-16 MODERNIZATION PROGRAM__PROGRAM__57

Actually, considering the J-10/FC-20 will be the ‘high end’ in the high-low mix of Chinese fighters in the PAF, it is appropriate to compare it with the F-16. I don’t want to start a discussion on whether the J-10 is equal or superior to the F-16, just saying it’s in the same weight class/general performance as the F-16. The JF-17 is more of an equivalent to the Gripen/TA-50 type light fighter.

Yeh, I think that’s simply marketing spin, i.e. it’s similar in performance to the C-130, rather than actually being derived from the Herc.

http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/airlift/y9.asp

I’m wondering if the Pakistani C-130s made any contribution to the Chinese Y-9 medium transport program…

Unlikley, the Y-9 is based on the An-12 Cub, with changes and modifications derived from Antonov assistance.

PAF C-130, JF-17s, and K-8Ps arriving for Zhuhai 2010.

http://slide.mil.news.sina.com.cn/slide_8_16642_5861.html

http://slide.mil.news.sina.com.cn/slide_8_16642_5860.html

http://slide.mil.news.sina.com.cn/slide_8_16642_5858.html