Posters on this thread who are nationals (and ex-pats) from both nations showed considerable restraint and decorum on the India and Pakistan threads for the majority of this crisis. Commendable. Let’s not watch it devolve into recriminations, sniping, and bombastic comments now.
Finally, I do feel for Scooter. No chance for F-16 or F-21 for IAF now
Two points, there still is no evidence of any F-16 lost. The other obvious point is that the IAF isn’t naive. The F-16 block 70 ( F-16V, F-21 “rebranding exercise”) isn’t equivalent to an F-16 block 15 from the 1980’s (majority of PAF holdings), or even the few block 50’s they possess. The effectiveness of a modern fighter is systems based and the F-16 block 70 is a different beast than the legacy F-16’s (new AESA, IDAS, mission computer, software, IFF, HUD, flat panel displays, on and on).
They will choose (or likely not choose) the RFI submission based on multiple factors, outer mold lines and designation aren’t likely to be one of them. If the F-16 block 70 isn’t chosen, lack of room for future growth is a major strike against it (besides the byzantine acquisition practices of India).
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