Billions to Upgrade and Up-arm Pakistan's F-16s

[Sea Eagle]

On June 28/06, the US DSCA notified Congress via a series of releases of its intention to provide Pakistan with a $5.1 billion Foreign Military Sales package to upgrade the F-16s that serve as the PAF's top of the line fighters. Some of these items had been put on hold following the October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan & Kashmir, but the request for 36 new F-16 Block 50/52s is now going ahead, along with new weapons, engine modifications, and upgrade kits for Pakistan's older F-16A/Bs. The buy went through, and was accompanied by the supply of 26 older F-16s from USAF surplus stocks. Then, a 2014 sale added 13 machines from from Jordan.

The Sales: New and UpgradedF-16s

New F-16 Block 50/52s up to $3 billion
PAF F-16D Block 52.
The Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of up to 36
F-16C/D Block 50/52aircraft, a buy of 18 jets, with an option for another 18. The planes would be equipped with the APG-68(V)9 radars, which are the most modern F-16 radar except for the UAE's F-16E/F
Block 60 "Desert Falcons" and their AN/APG-80 AESA. The engine contract was less certain.
Pakistan's existing F-16s use the Pratt &Whitney F100 engine, but the new planes involved a competition between Pratt&Whitney's
F100-PW-229 or General Electric's F110-GE-129
Increased Performance Engines (IPEs)[/B].
The total value, if all options are exercised, was estimated as high as $3 billion, which is in line with Pentagon releases that eventually peg the negotiated cost of 12 F-16Cs, 6F-16Ds, and ancillary equipment at $1.4 billion. Pratt&Whitney kept their customer, and supplied the new jets with their F100-PW-229 EEP engine, making them all F-16Block 52s.
The package for Pakistan's new F-16s included:
->7 spare F100-PW-229 EEP or F110-GE-129 IPE engines (F100-PW-229 EEP selected).
->7 spareAPG-68(V)9 radar sets.
->36Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems(JHMCS).
->36 AN/ARC-238 SINCGARS radios with HAVE QUICK I/II
->36 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs) that fit along the aircraft's sides to give them extra range
->36 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals.
->36 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation Systems.
->36 APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Systems
->36 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites: ALQ-211 AIDEW without Digital Radio Frequency Memory (picked); or AN/ALQ-184 Electronic Counter Measures pod without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Counter Measures pod without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-187 Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suites without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-178 Self-Protection Electronic Warfare Suites without DRFM.
->1 Unit Level Trainer

Associated support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, capability to employ a wide variety of munitions, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, CONUS-personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to ensure full program supportability.
The principal contractors under Pakistan's "Peace Drive" buy will be:
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, TX
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Dallas, TX
BAE Advanced Systems Greenlawn, NY
Boeing Corporation Seattle, WA
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems: St Louis, MO; Long Beach, CA; San Diego, CA
Raytheon Company: Lexington, MA; Goleta, CA
Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ
Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD
United Technology Company subsidiary Pratt&Whitney in East Hartford, CT; or
General Electric Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, OH
There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical review/support and program management of the aircraft.

Item 2: Weapons for the New F-16s – $650 Million[/][/]
To equip those new F-16s, the Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of:
->500 AIM-120C5 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles(AMRAAM)
->12 AMRAAM training missiles,these have seeker warheads but lack engines.
->200 AIM-9M-8/9 Sidewinder Short-Range Air-Air Missiles; they are the version before the fifth-generation AIM-9X.
->240 LAU-129/A Launchers – these support AMRAAM or Sidewinder missiles.
->500 Joint Direct Attack Munition(JDAM) Guidance Kits: GBU-31/38 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU) kits
1,600 Enhanced Paveway GBU-12 (500 lb.) and GBU-24s (2,000 lb.) with dual laser/GPS guidance
800 MK-82 500 pound General Purpose (GP) and MK-84 2,000 pound GP bombs.
->700 BLU-109 2,000 pound bunker-buster bombs with the FMU-143 Fuse.
Associated support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, capability to employ a wide variety of munitions, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, CONUS-personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to ensure full program supportability will also be provided.
The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $650 million. The principal contractors will be:
BAE Advanced Systems in Greenlawn, NY
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD
There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical review/support, program management, and modification of the aircraft.

 

[Sea Eagle]

Item 3: F-16A/B Mid-Life Update Modification Kits– $1.3 billion
According to the US DSCA, Pakistan intends to purchase the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Program equipment "to enhance survivability, communications connectivity, and extend the useful life of its F-16A/B fighter aircraft. The modifications and upgrades in this proposed sale will permit Pakistan's F-16A/B squadron to operate safely, and enhance Pakistan's conventional deterrent capability. Pakistan's air fleet can readily use these updates to enhance and extend the life of its aircraft." The total value, if all options are exercised, is estimated as high as $1.3 billion, and subsequent Pentagon releases peg it at that figure.
The Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of 60 F-16A/BMLU and Falcon Star Structural Service Life Enhancement kits consisting of:
->APG-68v9 with Synthetic Aperture Radaror
->The APG-66(V)2 radar, which is a much smaller improvement on earlier F-16s. The APG-68 with SAR is far better at air to ground work, and can be used to monitor ground activity.
->Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems(JHMCS)
->AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Systems
->AN/ALE-47 Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser Systems
Have Quick I/II Radios
->Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (
MIDS-LVT)
SNIPER(formerly known as AN/AAQ-33 PANTERA) targeting pod capability
->Reconnaissance pod capability
->Advanced Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Units (used for training exercises).
->MDE included in the MLU modification and structural upgrade kits
21 ALQ-131 Block II Electronic Countermeasures Pods without the Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM); or ALQ-184 Electronic Countermeasures Pods without DRFM.
->60 ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management Systems.
->1 Unit Level Trainer;
->10 APG-68v9 spare radar sets.

Turkish Aerospace Industry to perform the upgrades on 36 F-16A/B aircraft. They've been doing similar work for Turkey, and for other F-16 customers in the Middle East.
There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives.

InsideDefense.com makes the interesting observation that Pakistan doesn't have 60 F-16s to upgrade. The clear implication is that the Pakistani government is interested in buying used F-16s and upgrading them, which proved to be the case. As part of the deal for new planes, in Sept 30/06 the USA also agreed to deliver 26 of the "Peace Gate III/IV- F-16A/B Block 15OCUs that had been ordered in 1988-1989, then embargoed when Pakistan tested nuclear weapons. After the embargo, the planes had been diverted for use as aggressor combat training aircraft by USAF and the US Navy.

Radars, modems, receivers, installation, avionics, spare and repair parts, support equipment, CONUS-personnel training and training equipment, technical assistance, publications and technical documentation, system drawings, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, and other related logistics elements necessary for full program support.

Item 4: F-16A/B Engine Modifications & UP/STAR – $151 Million
The third contract involves Engine Modifications and Falcon UP/STAR Structural Upgrades as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $151 million.
More specifically, the Government of Pakistan has requested engine improvements and structural modifications to its F-16 fleet, which includes a possible sale of:
->14 F100-PW-220E engines.
->14 Falcon UP/STAR F-16 structural upgrade kits.
->De-modification and preparation of 26 aircraft.
Support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to support the program.

 

[Sea Eagle]

Pakistan buys 13 more F-16A/B Block 15s from Jordan; AIDEW ECM contracts finally finalized.
Jordanian F-16A/B
May 21/14: All 13 F-16 fighters have been received from Jordan, and the PAF formally inducts them as 19th Squadron at Mushaf Air Base. Their F-16 fleet now stands at 79.

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April 29/14: . In his address, [PAF commander Marshal Tahir Rafique] Butt said the fighters, [now] housed at the Air Force base in Sargodha, were in good condition."
That base is about 150 miles due south of Islamabad, in the Punjab region.

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Feb 19/14: Pakistani media report that the government has inked a deal with Jordan for 12 used F-16As and 1 F-16B:
"With this, the strength of PAF F-16s will reach 76. The deal has been authenticated by the manufacturing company and the US government has also given its nod for the sale/purchase of the planes. Well-placed defence sources told The News here the other day that the purchased aircraft were in good condition have been modified into Air Defence Fighters (ADF) versions. The Ogden Air Logistics Centre performed structural upgrades to extend the aircraft life from the designed 4,000 to 8,000 hours flying time as part of the programme. They also modified the aircraft engine bay for the upgraded Pratt and Whitney F100-220E engine"


Billions to Upgrade and Up-arm Pakistan's F-16s