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Okay thank you because Those looked like Phillipine Flag to me. Thank you.
F-16 Viper
- Thread starter asianobserve
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A very good and Neutral analysis by this American. I am surprised that he took the trouble to have an unbiased view about these or else most of the Time, these Goras would peddle fake news. This guy Magnar is a ATR Captain and instructor who is based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Anyways "he himself has explicitly stated that Pakistanis and indians should be civil in the comment section" but well, I guess this rule doesn't apply to Pakistanis because they have already started with their "tea was fantastic" Ranting in the Comment Section like usual.
Just because a MIG-21 shot down that F-16 ,it doesn't mean that F-16 is a trash plane, F-16 is a very good Fighter Aircraft with decent Avionics and Weopons package etc but the thing was that the Paki Pilot who was piloting that F-16 which was shot down by Wing Commander Abhinandan was a very unprofessional F-16 Pilot.
Anyways the truth will come out very soon. Let's just give it time to come out.
USAF to Upgrade 608 F-16 to V Standard in Largest Modification Work in History
In one of the largest modernization efforts in the USAF history, 608 F-16s – comprised of Blocks 40 and 50 – will undergo up to 22 modifications designed to ensure the fourth-generation fighter remains effective in meeting current and future threats.
According to Alert 5, ten years after Lockheed Martin announced the F-16V variant at the Singapore airshow, the US Air Force (USAF) has decided to modify 608 Block 40 and 50 jets to that standard.
In one of the largest modernization efforts in the USAF history, 608 F-16s – comprised of Blocks 40 and 50 – will undergo up to 22 modifications designed to improve lethality and ensure the fourth-generation fighter remains effective in meeting current and future threats, Brian Brackens, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs, explains in the article F-16 fleet undergoing largest modification work in history.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate is leading the complex project, known as Post Block Integration Team or PoBIT, and developed the plan to organize and install the modifications on the aircraft.
“This is a pretty massive effort, a collision of mods as we call it,” said Oryan “OJ” Joseph, program manager with the directorate’s F-16 Program Office. “We had to quickly look at all of the mods that are going on the aircraft and not only understand the timing of when the mods are going to deliver, but also when the aircraft will be available from the units. There are a lot of variables, a give and take tug of war that we deal with every day on bringing down aircraft [for modifications] at the right time.”
Updates to the aircraft include installing Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and Link 16 – a battlefield communication system, modernizing the cockpit and main mission computer, and converting the fleet to a high speed data network.
In addition, the fighter will receive next-generation electronic warfare capability as well as a Communication Suite Upgrade, a Center Display Unit, a Programmable Data Generator, and several other key hardware components to modernize the aircraft.
A number of the modifications have already started and will continue over several years. Overall, PoBIT involves six major commands, more than 18 bases, multiple companies, and contracts totaling approximately $6.3 billion.
“This effort is a big deal for the Air Force,” said Joseph. “In order for us to keep the F-16 in the fight performing all its different roles for our Combatant Commanders, we must significantly modernize the fleet.”
“Making sure we have the right modifications at the right time is crucial to the warfighter,” added 1st Lt. Andrew Elledge, program manager, F-16 Program Office. “It requires effort and daily coordination to ensure there is progress and communication with all programs related to this effort across all the bases involved. While this effort is a challenge, being able to keep the F-16 in the fight with the latest and greatest technology is the driving factor. I am thankful to have such experienced teammates to help tackle these complex daily tasks. It really takes all of us to keep this moving in the right direction!”
Currently the F-16V, an option for both new production F-16s and F-16 upgrades, is the latest and most advanced F-16 on the market. The F-16V configuration includes numerous enhancements designed to keep the F-16 at the forefront of international security.
The F-16V provides advanced combat capabilities in a scalable and affordable package. The core of the F-16V configuration is the APG-83 AESA radar, a modern commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based avionics subsystem, a large-format, high-resolution display; and a high-volume, high-speed data bus. Operational capabilities are enhanced through a Link-16 Theater Data Link, Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, advanced weapons, precision GPS navigation, and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).
theaviationgeekclub.com
According to Alert 5, ten years after Lockheed Martin announced the F-16V variant at the Singapore airshow, the US Air Force (USAF) has decided to modify 608 Block 40 and 50 jets to that standard.
In one of the largest modernization efforts in the USAF history, 608 F-16s – comprised of Blocks 40 and 50 – will undergo up to 22 modifications designed to improve lethality and ensure the fourth-generation fighter remains effective in meeting current and future threats, Brian Brackens, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Public Affairs, explains in the article F-16 fleet undergoing largest modification work in history.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate is leading the complex project, known as Post Block Integration Team or PoBIT, and developed the plan to organize and install the modifications on the aircraft.
“This is a pretty massive effort, a collision of mods as we call it,” said Oryan “OJ” Joseph, program manager with the directorate’s F-16 Program Office. “We had to quickly look at all of the mods that are going on the aircraft and not only understand the timing of when the mods are going to deliver, but also when the aircraft will be available from the units. There are a lot of variables, a give and take tug of war that we deal with every day on bringing down aircraft [for modifications] at the right time.”
Updates to the aircraft include installing Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and Link 16 – a battlefield communication system, modernizing the cockpit and main mission computer, and converting the fleet to a high speed data network.
In addition, the fighter will receive next-generation electronic warfare capability as well as a Communication Suite Upgrade, a Center Display Unit, a Programmable Data Generator, and several other key hardware components to modernize the aircraft.
A number of the modifications have already started and will continue over several years. Overall, PoBIT involves six major commands, more than 18 bases, multiple companies, and contracts totaling approximately $6.3 billion.
“This effort is a big deal for the Air Force,” said Joseph. “In order for us to keep the F-16 in the fight performing all its different roles for our Combatant Commanders, we must significantly modernize the fleet.”
“Making sure we have the right modifications at the right time is crucial to the warfighter,” added 1st Lt. Andrew Elledge, program manager, F-16 Program Office. “It requires effort and daily coordination to ensure there is progress and communication with all programs related to this effort across all the bases involved. While this effort is a challenge, being able to keep the F-16 in the fight with the latest and greatest technology is the driving factor. I am thankful to have such experienced teammates to help tackle these complex daily tasks. It really takes all of us to keep this moving in the right direction!”
Currently the F-16V, an option for both new production F-16s and F-16 upgrades, is the latest and most advanced F-16 on the market. The F-16V configuration includes numerous enhancements designed to keep the F-16 at the forefront of international security.
The F-16V provides advanced combat capabilities in a scalable and affordable package. The core of the F-16V configuration is the APG-83 AESA radar, a modern commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based avionics subsystem, a large-format, high-resolution display; and a high-volume, high-speed data bus. Operational capabilities are enhanced through a Link-16 Theater Data Link, Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, advanced weapons, precision GPS navigation, and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).
USAF to Upgrade 608 F-16 fighter jets to V variant in Viper Fleet largest Modification Work in History - The Aviation Geek Club
USAF to Upgrade 608 F-16 fighter jets to V variant in Viper Fleet largest Modification Work in History
theaviationgeekclub.com
F-16s to receive next-generation electronic warfare suite
March 14, 2022
IVEWS provides a next generation EW system that is internal to the F-16 and interoperable with the on-board APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. It is designed to Open Missions Systems requirements and provisioned for long-term growth capability to support future upgrades such as the Fiber Optic Tow Decoy, Adaptive/Cognitive Processing, and Open System Architecture compliance.
March 14, 2022
IVEWS provides a next generation EW system that is internal to the F-16 and interoperable with the on-board APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. It is designed to Open Missions Systems requirements and provisioned for long-term growth capability to support future upgrades such as the Fiber Optic Tow Decoy, Adaptive/Cognitive Processing, and Open System Architecture compliance.
F-16s to receive next-generation electronic warfare suite
The Air Force took another step in the effort to modernize the electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of the F-16 fleet. On March 10, in advance of a multi-million dollar contract modification award
www.aflcmc.af.mil
The system will defend F-16s from “radio frequency-guided weapons”—radar-guided missiles—by detecting, identifying, and defeating RF threats in an “increasingly contested environment,” the company said in a press release. It will offer advanced countermeasures and “also has proven pulse-to-pulse operability with the F-16’s newly-acquired AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar,” or SABR, also built by Northrop, the company said.F-16s to receive next-generation electronic warfare suite
March 14, 2022
IVEWS provides a next generation EW system that is internal to the F-16 and interoperable with the on-board APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. It is designed to Open Missions Systems requirements and provisioned for long-term growth capability to support future upgrades such as the Fiber Optic Tow Decoy, Adaptive/Cognitive Processing, and Open System Architecture compliance.
F-16s to receive next-generation electronic warfare suite
The Air Force took another step in the effort to modernize the electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of the F-16 fleet. On March 10, in advance of a multi-million dollar contract modification awardwww.aflcmc.af.mil
It’s “a fully integrated EW suite—a jammer plus Radar Warning Receiver built into the aircraft—that can meet the challenge of detecting and countering complex threat emitters,” an Air Force official said. If successfully developed and fielded, it will replace “an analog version of a legacy RWR and several legacy jammers,” he said. The system is more comparable to the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) for the F-15 than a specific jamming pod like the ALQ-131, he said.
Congress signals openness to Turkey F-16 sale amid Ukraine cooperation
Bryant HarrisMay 4, 11:51 AM
Source: Defense News
WASHINGTON — Turkey’s 2017 purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system notoriously turned it into a pariah on Capitol Hill, prompting Congress to lead the way in kicking Ankara of the F-35 stealth fighter jet program.
But Turkey’s support for Ukraine, most notably via the export of armed drones and diplomacy with Russia, has presented Ankara with an opportunity to bolster its tarnished image in Congress. If it plays its cards right, the NATO ally could convince Congress to allow a roughly $6 billion purchase of 40 Block 70 F-16 fighter jets and approximately 80 modernization kits from Lockheed Martin to upgrade its existing fleet.
Several key lawmakers who proved instrumental in expelling Turkey from the F-35 program have cautiously signaled to Defense News that they may be inclined to allow Ankara to purchase the F-16s after the Biden administration suggested that such a sale could serve NATO and U.S. security interests.
Still, Congress wields considerable power in blocking potential arms sales and lawmakers made clear that an F-16 transfer would be contingent on Turkey continuing to support Ukraine even as it tries to strike a tricky balance in its relationship with both the United States and Russia amid a myriad of other regional disputes.
“We need to talk and work with Turkey and others that are working with us against Russia,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told Defense News. “They’ve shown some movements in the right direction. There’s other things that we still need to work with Turkey, certain things that still irritate us at times.”
Meeks did not assume chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee – a position that allows him to block arms sales – until 2021, well after Congress first codified Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program in the 2019 government funding bill.
Other Democrats and Republicans who fought tooth and nail to legislate Turkey out of the program have also signaled that they would not use their power to block a potential F-16 sale.
“I’ve talked to several of the parties involved in this,” Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told Defense News. “The Turks have made a credible argument for why they should get the F-16s.”
“I’m positively disposed in that direction, but I’m not completely there yet,” he added.
Turkey has steadily maintained a fleet of the older F-16s since the 1980s as Ankara seeks an upgrade.
Risch also emphasized that the F-16s are “a different case” than allowing Turkey to receive the F-35s.
Washington blocked the transfer of the advanced F-35 fighter jets to its NATO ally out of fear that the S-400′s powerful radar system would allow Russia to spy on the state-of-the-art aircraft, thereby compromising the technology.
The S-400 purchase also prompted the United States to sanction Turkey’s military procurement agency in 2020, as required under a Russia sanctions law. But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought a détente with its NATO allies in recent years.
The office of Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Defense News: “We expect Turkey to continue standing with its NATO allies who are in lockstep in supporting Ukraine as it defends its homeland.”
“The war in Ukraine is not over,” McCaul’s office said. “We expect that should the administration seek congressional authorization for this sale, Turkey will still be playing a constructive role in the conflict, but also addressing concerns over Turkey’s role in other global conflicts.”
At home, Erdogan has framed his push for the F-16 sale as potential compensation for Turkey’s sunk investments following its expulsion from the F-35 co-production program. And he pushed Biden on the sale during a meeting last October.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan went out of his way last week to thank Turkey for helping secure imprisoned U.S. Marine Trevor Reed’s release from Russia.
“We need a relationship with Turkey; we need to find some way to build that back,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., told Defense News. “The president’s probably spot on in terms of trying to balance it. It’s hard because the S-400 complicated our relationship in many ways, but it’s not a relationship we can walk away from.”
Smith and a bevy of lawmakers passed legislation codifying Turkey’s ban from the F-35 program in the annual defense authorization bill – language that remains on the books.
Reuters reported last month that the State Department sent a letter to Congress finding that “there are compelling, long-term NATO alliance unity and capability interests, as well as U.S. national security, economic and commercial interests, that are supported by appropriate U.S. defense trade ties with Turkey.”
The letter came in response to a query from Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and a bipartisan group of more than 50 other House members as they urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to reject the F-16 sale for Turkey.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, which Pallone chairs, does not have jurisdiction over arms sales. But the senior senator from Pallone’s home state of New Jersey, Democrat Bob Menendez, is in a position to unilaterally block the F-16 sale given his status as Foreign Relations Committee chairman.
“At some point we have to decide is Turkey the type of NATO ally that we expect or not,” Menendez told Defense News. “It acts in ways that are contrary to our interests in a whole host of things. I think the administration has to stop seeing from the aspirational part of what we would like Turkey to be and realize that Turkey is under Erdogan.”
Menendez infuriated Turkey in 2020 by shepherding legislation to partially lift a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus into law, the same year that the House and Senate both passed resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide for the first time.
While the Ukraine crisis has presented a unique opportunity for Turkey to turn its tattered reputation around on Capitol Hill, Menendez and several lawmakers continue to lambast Ankara over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as its military role in conflicts spanning from Armenia and Azerbaijan to Syria and Libya.
Bryant Harris is the Congress reporter for Defense News. He has covered the intersection of U.S. foreign policy and national security in Washington since 2014. He previously wrote for Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera English and IPS News.
Bryant HarrisMay 4, 11:51 AM
Source: Defense News
WASHINGTON — Turkey’s 2017 purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system notoriously turned it into a pariah on Capitol Hill, prompting Congress to lead the way in kicking Ankara of the F-35 stealth fighter jet program.
But Turkey’s support for Ukraine, most notably via the export of armed drones and diplomacy with Russia, has presented Ankara with an opportunity to bolster its tarnished image in Congress. If it plays its cards right, the NATO ally could convince Congress to allow a roughly $6 billion purchase of 40 Block 70 F-16 fighter jets and approximately 80 modernization kits from Lockheed Martin to upgrade its existing fleet.
Several key lawmakers who proved instrumental in expelling Turkey from the F-35 program have cautiously signaled to Defense News that they may be inclined to allow Ankara to purchase the F-16s after the Biden administration suggested that such a sale could serve NATO and U.S. security interests.
Still, Congress wields considerable power in blocking potential arms sales and lawmakers made clear that an F-16 transfer would be contingent on Turkey continuing to support Ukraine even as it tries to strike a tricky balance in its relationship with both the United States and Russia amid a myriad of other regional disputes.
“We need to talk and work with Turkey and others that are working with us against Russia,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told Defense News. “They’ve shown some movements in the right direction. There’s other things that we still need to work with Turkey, certain things that still irritate us at times.”
Meeks did not assume chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee – a position that allows him to block arms sales – until 2021, well after Congress first codified Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program in the 2019 government funding bill.
Other Democrats and Republicans who fought tooth and nail to legislate Turkey out of the program have also signaled that they would not use their power to block a potential F-16 sale.
“I’ve talked to several of the parties involved in this,” Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told Defense News. “The Turks have made a credible argument for why they should get the F-16s.”
“I’m positively disposed in that direction, but I’m not completely there yet,” he added.
Turkey has steadily maintained a fleet of the older F-16s since the 1980s as Ankara seeks an upgrade.
Risch also emphasized that the F-16s are “a different case” than allowing Turkey to receive the F-35s.
Washington blocked the transfer of the advanced F-35 fighter jets to its NATO ally out of fear that the S-400′s powerful radar system would allow Russia to spy on the state-of-the-art aircraft, thereby compromising the technology.
The S-400 purchase also prompted the United States to sanction Turkey’s military procurement agency in 2020, as required under a Russia sanctions law. But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought a détente with its NATO allies in recent years.
The office of Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Defense News: “We expect Turkey to continue standing with its NATO allies who are in lockstep in supporting Ukraine as it defends its homeland.”
“The war in Ukraine is not over,” McCaul’s office said. “We expect that should the administration seek congressional authorization for this sale, Turkey will still be playing a constructive role in the conflict, but also addressing concerns over Turkey’s role in other global conflicts.”
At home, Erdogan has framed his push for the F-16 sale as potential compensation for Turkey’s sunk investments following its expulsion from the F-35 co-production program. And he pushed Biden on the sale during a meeting last October.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan went out of his way last week to thank Turkey for helping secure imprisoned U.S. Marine Trevor Reed’s release from Russia.
“We need a relationship with Turkey; we need to find some way to build that back,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., told Defense News. “The president’s probably spot on in terms of trying to balance it. It’s hard because the S-400 complicated our relationship in many ways, but it’s not a relationship we can walk away from.”
Smith and a bevy of lawmakers passed legislation codifying Turkey’s ban from the F-35 program in the annual defense authorization bill – language that remains on the books.
Reuters reported last month that the State Department sent a letter to Congress finding that “there are compelling, long-term NATO alliance unity and capability interests, as well as U.S. national security, economic and commercial interests, that are supported by appropriate U.S. defense trade ties with Turkey.”
The letter came in response to a query from Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and a bipartisan group of more than 50 other House members as they urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to reject the F-16 sale for Turkey.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, which Pallone chairs, does not have jurisdiction over arms sales. But the senior senator from Pallone’s home state of New Jersey, Democrat Bob Menendez, is in a position to unilaterally block the F-16 sale given his status as Foreign Relations Committee chairman.
“At some point we have to decide is Turkey the type of NATO ally that we expect or not,” Menendez told Defense News. “It acts in ways that are contrary to our interests in a whole host of things. I think the administration has to stop seeing from the aspirational part of what we would like Turkey to be and realize that Turkey is under Erdogan.”
Menendez infuriated Turkey in 2020 by shepherding legislation to partially lift a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus into law, the same year that the House and Senate both passed resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide for the first time.
While the Ukraine crisis has presented a unique opportunity for Turkey to turn its tattered reputation around on Capitol Hill, Menendez and several lawmakers continue to lambast Ankara over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as its military role in conflicts spanning from Armenia and Azerbaijan to Syria and Libya.
Bryant Harris is the Congress reporter for Defense News. He has covered the intersection of U.S. foreign policy and national security in Washington since 2014. He previously wrote for Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera English and IPS News.
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Good morningCongress signals openness to Turkey F-16 sale amid Ukraine cooperation
Bryant HarrisMay 4, 11:51 AM
Source: Defense News
WASHINGTON — Turkey’s 2017 purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system notoriously turned it into a pariah on Capitol Hill, prompting Congress to lead the way in kicking Ankara of the F-35 stealth fighter jet program.
But Turkey’s support for Ukraine, most notably via the export of armed drones and diplomacy with Russia, has presented Ankara with an opportunity to bolster its tarnished image in Congress. If it plays its cards right, the NATO ally could convince Congress to allow a roughly $6 billion purchase of 40 Block 70 F-16 fighter jets and approximately 80 modernization kits from Lockheed Martin to upgrade its existing fleet.
Several key lawmakers who proved instrumental in expelling Turkey from the F-35 program have cautiously signaled to Defense News that they may be inclined to allow Ankara to purchase the F-16s after the Biden administration suggested that such a sale could serve NATO and U.S. security interests.
Still, Congress wields considerable power in blocking potential arms sales and lawmakers made clear that an F-16 transfer would be contingent on Turkey continuing to support Ukraine even as it tries to strike a tricky balance in its relationship with both the United States and Russia amid a myriad of other regional disputes.
“We need to talk and work with Turkey and others that are working with us against Russia,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., told Defense News. “They’ve shown some movements in the right direction. There’s other things that we still need to work with Turkey, certain things that still irritate us at times.”
Meeks did not assume chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Committee – a position that allows him to block arms sales – until 2021, well after Congress first codified Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program in the 2019 government funding bill.
Other Democrats and Republicans who fought tooth and nail to legislate Turkey out of the program have also signaled that they would not use their power to block a potential F-16 sale.
“I’ve talked to several of the parties involved in this,” Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, the ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, told Defense News. “The Turks have made a credible argument for why they should get the F-16s.”
“I’m positively disposed in that direction, but I’m not completely there yet,” he added.
Turkey has steadily maintained a fleet of the older F-16s since the 1980s as Ankara seeks an upgrade.
Risch also emphasized that the F-16s are “a different case” than allowing Turkey to receive the F-35s.
Washington blocked the transfer of the advanced F-35 fighter jets to its NATO ally out of fear that the S-400′s powerful radar system would allow Russia to spy on the state-of-the-art aircraft, thereby compromising the technology.
The S-400 purchase also prompted the United States to sanction Turkey’s military procurement agency in 2020, as required under a Russia sanctions law. But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sought a détente with its NATO allies in recent years.
The office of Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Defense News: “We expect Turkey to continue standing with its NATO allies who are in lockstep in supporting Ukraine as it defends its homeland.”
“The war in Ukraine is not over,” McCaul’s office said. “We expect that should the administration seek congressional authorization for this sale, Turkey will still be playing a constructive role in the conflict, but also addressing concerns over Turkey’s role in other global conflicts.”
At home, Erdogan has framed his push for the F-16 sale as potential compensation for Turkey’s sunk investments following its expulsion from the F-35 co-production program. And he pushed Biden on the sale during a meeting last October.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan went out of his way last week to thank Turkey for helping secure imprisoned U.S. Marine Trevor Reed’s release from Russia.
“We need a relationship with Turkey; we need to find some way to build that back,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., told Defense News. “The president’s probably spot on in terms of trying to balance it. It’s hard because the S-400 complicated our relationship in many ways, but it’s not a relationship we can walk away from.”
Smith and a bevy of lawmakers passed legislation codifying Turkey’s ban from the F-35 program in the annual defense authorization bill – language that remains on the books.
Reuters reported last month that the State Department sent a letter to Congress finding that “there are compelling, long-term NATO alliance unity and capability interests, as well as U.S. national security, economic and commercial interests, that are supported by appropriate U.S. defense trade ties with Turkey.”
The letter came in response to a query from Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and a bipartisan group of more than 50 other House members as they urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to reject the F-16 sale for Turkey.
The Energy and Commerce Committee, which Pallone chairs, does not have jurisdiction over arms sales. But the senior senator from Pallone’s home state of New Jersey, Democrat Bob Menendez, is in a position to unilaterally block the F-16 sale given his status as Foreign Relations Committee chairman.
“At some point we have to decide is Turkey the type of NATO ally that we expect or not,” Menendez told Defense News. “It acts in ways that are contrary to our interests in a whole host of things. I think the administration has to stop seeing from the aspirational part of what we would like Turkey to be and realize that Turkey is under Erdogan.”
Menendez infuriated Turkey in 2020 by shepherding legislation to partially lift a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus into law, the same year that the House and Senate both passed resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide for the first time.
While the Ukraine crisis has presented a unique opportunity for Turkey to turn its tattered reputation around on Capitol Hill, Menendez and several lawmakers continue to lambast Ankara over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as its military role in conflicts spanning from Armenia and Azerbaijan to Syria and Libya.
Bryant Harris is the Congress reporter for Defense News. He has covered the intersection of U.S. foreign policy and national security in Washington since 2014. He previously wrote for Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Al Jazeera English and IPS News.
TheFlyingAce
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Most outstanding F-16 Solo Display by Belgian Air Component.
The green "Dream Viper"
The green "Dream Viper"
Bulgarian parliament votes to buy F-16s under $1.3 billion deal
WARSAW, Poland — Bulgarian lawmakers have voted to approve the purchase of eight F-16C/D Block 70 fighter jets for the country’s Air Force. The forthcoming acquisition is to be worth close to $1.3 billion.
The minister said that the first F-16 deal from 2019 lacked sufficient weapons, air-to-ground missiles, and precision weapons for the aircraft.
“Under this contract, the plan is to have additional spare engines, additional radar stations, additional containers for targeting, and additional weapons delivered,” Stoyanov said.
WARSAW, Poland — Bulgarian lawmakers have voted to approve the purchase of eight F-16C/D Block 70 fighter jets for the country’s Air Force. The forthcoming acquisition is to be worth close to $1.3 billion.
The minister said that the first F-16 deal from 2019 lacked sufficient weapons, air-to-ground missiles, and precision weapons for the aircraft.
“Under this contract, the plan is to have additional spare engines, additional radar stations, additional containers for targeting, and additional weapons delivered,” Stoyanov said.
Cost per unit of F-16 block 70 remains below $100 million. Purchase of a few dozen F-16V by India (which would neither change the budget or sanction concerns for India) could make Lockheed totally lose interest in upgrade/sale of further F-16 to Pakistan, severely disrupting PAF calculations for countering IAF. Remember that unlike India, Pakistan doesn’t have the financial or technological means to source top notch weapons. For decades they used US F-16 to counter IAF and that math can be eliminated by one strategic move by India.
Bahrain to receive first batch of Block 70 F-16s in early 2024
Agnes Helou
on November 09, 2022 at 3:02 PM
A Bahraini F-16 showcased in a static display at the Bahrain International Air Show. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
MANAMA — The Royal Bahraini Air Force will receive its first batch of four F-16 Block 70 aircraft by the first half of 2024, following a COVID-19-related delay, commander of the air force Maj. Gen. Shaikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Khalifah told Breaking Defense.
On the side of Manama Air Power Symposium 2022 (MAPS) here, Al Khalifah said that the deliveries of the 16 contracted fighter jets will take place in batches of four until 2025.
In 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.1 billion contract by the US government to produce 16 Block-70 fighters for Bahrain, the first customer to acquire what Lockheed called the “newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration.”
Bahrain to receive first batch of Block 70 F-16s in early 2024
Agnes Helou
on November 09, 2022 at 3:02 PM
A Bahraini F-16 showcased in a static display at the Bahrain International Air Show. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
MANAMA — The Royal Bahraini Air Force will receive its first batch of four F-16 Block 70 aircraft by the first half of 2024, following a COVID-19-related delay, commander of the air force Maj. Gen. Shaikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Khalifah told Breaking Defense.
On the side of Manama Air Power Symposium 2022 (MAPS) here, Al Khalifah said that the deliveries of the 16 contracted fighter jets will take place in batches of four until 2025.
In 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.1 billion contract by the US government to produce 16 Block-70 fighters for Bahrain, the first customer to acquire what Lockheed called the “newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration.”
Last edited:
Flying Dagger
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They are getting J-10... too so no point for that card now . It's better we invest in our defences and airforce logically now.Cost per unit of F-16 block 70 remains below $100 million. Purchase of a few dozen F-16V by India (which would neither change the budget or sanction concerns for India) could make Lockheed totally lose interest in upgrade/sale of further F-16 to Pakistan, severely disrupting PAF calculations for countering IAF. Remember that unlike India, Pakistan doesn’t have the financial or technological means to source top notch weapons. For decades they used US F-16 to counter IAF and that math can be eliminated by one strategic move by India.
Bahrain to receive first batch of Block 70 F-16s in early 2024
Agnes Helou
on November 09, 2022 at 3:02 PM
A Bahraini F-16 showcased in a static display at the Bahrain International Air Show. (Agnes Helou/Breaking Defense)
MANAMA — The Royal Bahraini Air Force will receive its first batch of four F-16 Block 70 aircraft by the first half of 2024, following a COVID-19-related delay, commander of the air force Maj. Gen. Shaikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Khalifah told Breaking Defense.
On the side of Manama Air Power Symposium 2022 (MAPS) here, Al Khalifah said that the deliveries of the 16 contracted fighter jets will take place in batches of four until 2025.
In 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $1.1 billion contract by the US government to produce 16 Block-70 fighters for Bahrain, the first customer to acquire what Lockheed called the “newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration.”
F-16V can easily outclass J-10.
NutCracker
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How many Paki f-16 are upgradable to Viper. Large number of Paki F-16s are mid 80s A/B variant ,right ?
Zero to V standard. 41 F-16A/B were upgraded by Turkey to block 15 MLU in 2010-2014.
“In June 2009, the PAF selected TAI to implement the MLU on 41 General Dynamics F-16A/B Block-15s. The upgrade began in Q4 2010 and involved the installation of the AN/APG-68(v9) radar, a new cockpit, the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), a new electronic warfare and electronic countermeasures system, and structural replenishment to guarantee that the F-16s safely reach their intended 8,000-hour service lives. The program was completed in September 2014.”
All F-16 variants can be upgraded to V standard. Unlike French, US does not withhold upgrades of older aircraft to sell new ones.
NutCracker
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So paki have block15 at most.. how much does it cost to convert block 15 into Viper ?
I guess block 15 would be too old to convert.
Would buying newly printed J-10c be more economical?
Pakistan has only 18 F-16 C/D Block 52 and rest A/B models. It costs around $30 million to convert block 15 to V model.
The upgrade, for Taiwan includes the installation of Northrop Grumman’s AN/APG-83 scalable agile beam radar, a new mission computer and upgraded electronic warfare equipment like the Terma AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management systems. Other upgraded systems include the Rockwell Collins-Elbit Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, which allows off-boresight targeting of adversary aircraft during air combat, and a newer identification friend-or-foe system.
NutCracker
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Hm. Good info. age of airframe is also a factor for the feasibility of the project.
And With growing chinese influence and fear of espionage in Pakistan i wonder if USA will supply Taiwan equivalent upgrades to Paki.
Maybe downgrade it by 25%>
First F-16 Block 70 Emerges From Lockheed Martin’s New Factory—128 More on Order
Nov. 22, 2022 | By John A. Tirpak
The first F-16 of the Block 70/72 configuration has rolled out of Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, S.C., facility in preparation for first flight early in 2023. The factory is geared up to build at least 128 more of the jets through the end of this decade.
The jet, destined for Bahrain, should be accepted by the U.S. government early in 2023 and will undergo flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., before it’s delivered under the Foreign Military Sales program. It completed final assembly and checkout (FACO) and painting at Greenville on Nov. 21.
The rate of work on Block 70s under construction at Greenville will “increase significantly” in fiscal 2023, building to a production rate of up to four aircraft per month, a company spokesperson said. Five countries are on contract for the Block 70/72: Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, and “one other,” the company noted. Jordan has also signed a letter of offer and acceptance for eight aircraft; when awarded, that contract will bring the backlog to 136 aircraft. Bulgaria has also begun the process of buying additional aircraft. Greenville has “multiple other jets” in various stages of work, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson noted.
The company got an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract in January worth up to $64.3 billion for production of new F-16s for FMS customers as well as upgrades of 405 jets in foreign hands to the F-16V configuration, if all potential work materializes.
Lockheed Martin moved its F-16 production line to South Carolina from Fort Worth, Texas, in 2019 in order to free up space there for increasing F-35 production activities. In addition to producing new F-16s, the Greenville plant is performing modifications and refits on older F-16 models. Moroccan F-16s, for example, will get an upgrade to Block 70/72 configuration at the plant. The company said its backlog will ensure production of factory-new F-16s “through the mid-to-late 2020s.”
When Lockheed Martin moved to restart the F-16 line at Greenville, there was an “uptick” in FMS interest in the jet, Col. Anthony Walker, senior materiel leader, international division, at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, said in May. A number of countries requested “detailed information and requests for government sales,” he said.
The U.S. Air Force indicated last year that according to its “4+1” fighter roadmap, it plans to keep flying the F-16 well into the 2030s, assuring potential buyers of a strong pipeline for parts and support into the next decade. USAF has indicated it may retain as many as 600 F-16s into the 2030s. The service has also apparently deferred plans to seek a program for a new multirole fighter—not as sophisticated as the F-35—to be called the MR-F or MR-X. That aircraft was expected to have capabilities comparable to those of the F-16.
While Lockheed Martin has tooled for four aircraft a month, “we are always evaluating and looking at ways to increase production to meet customer needs,” the spokesperson said.
“New digital engineering technologies have been implemented into the production line to maximize efficiency and decrease span time. Additionally, we have added more suppliers for certain components, such as our Johnstown, Pennsylvania, facility, to allow us to meet current program needs and future opportunities for new production F-16s,” she said.
The Block 70 is being marketed to countries that either want to expand their existing F-16 fleets or are not customers for the more sophisticated and stealthy F-35 fighter.
The most advanced version of the F-16, the Block 70/72 mounts the APG-83 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar, a new electronic warfare suite called Viper Shield, a more powerful mission computer, an updated cockpit with larger color displays—including zoom and the ability to rearrange displayed information—an uprated engine, capability for most modern weapons, conformal overwing fuel tanks and an infrared search-and-track system and targeting pod capability, improved data links, precision GPS navigation, and an automatic ground collision avoidance system (GCAS), among other improvements. The Block 70/72 also has a structural service life of 12,000 hours, about 50 percent longer than previous F-16s, meaning the type could stay in service until 2060 or so.
The U.S. Air Force bought its last new F-16, a Block 50 model, in 2005. Air Force F-16s are getting some of the improvements available in the Block 70, such as the AESA radar, but the service shifted its acquisition focus on new aircraft first to the F-22 and then the F-35. The service has said it will retire all its early-model, or “pre-block,” F-16s in the next few years.
Slovakia is planning to acquire 70 Block 70/72 F-16s, and that country has offered to give a dozen of its retiring MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine. However, sources have reported that Ukraine has sought to buy F-16s of its own. There has been discussion of providing F-16s from U.S. stocks to Ukraine, but no firm plans have been announced.
The F-16 has been in the U.S. Air Force operational inventory since 1978, when the F-16A entered service. The aircraft is a development of the YF-16 prototype fighter, which won the Lightweight Fighter Competition in 1974. More than 30 countries have since operated the F-16, and 25 are flying some version of the jet today. More than 4,550 F-16s have been produced.
www.airandspaceforces.com
Nov. 22, 2022 | By John A. Tirpak
The first F-16 of the Block 70/72 configuration has rolled out of Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, S.C., facility in preparation for first flight early in 2023. The factory is geared up to build at least 128 more of the jets through the end of this decade.
The jet, destined for Bahrain, should be accepted by the U.S. government early in 2023 and will undergo flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., before it’s delivered under the Foreign Military Sales program. It completed final assembly and checkout (FACO) and painting at Greenville on Nov. 21.
The rate of work on Block 70s under construction at Greenville will “increase significantly” in fiscal 2023, building to a production rate of up to four aircraft per month, a company spokesperson said. Five countries are on contract for the Block 70/72: Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, and “one other,” the company noted. Jordan has also signed a letter of offer and acceptance for eight aircraft; when awarded, that contract will bring the backlog to 136 aircraft. Bulgaria has also begun the process of buying additional aircraft. Greenville has “multiple other jets” in various stages of work, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson noted.
The company got an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract in January worth up to $64.3 billion for production of new F-16s for FMS customers as well as upgrades of 405 jets in foreign hands to the F-16V configuration, if all potential work materializes.
Lockheed Martin moved its F-16 production line to South Carolina from Fort Worth, Texas, in 2019 in order to free up space there for increasing F-35 production activities. In addition to producing new F-16s, the Greenville plant is performing modifications and refits on older F-16 models. Moroccan F-16s, for example, will get an upgrade to Block 70/72 configuration at the plant. The company said its backlog will ensure production of factory-new F-16s “through the mid-to-late 2020s.”
When Lockheed Martin moved to restart the F-16 line at Greenville, there was an “uptick” in FMS interest in the jet, Col. Anthony Walker, senior materiel leader, international division, at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, said in May. A number of countries requested “detailed information and requests for government sales,” he said.
The U.S. Air Force indicated last year that according to its “4+1” fighter roadmap, it plans to keep flying the F-16 well into the 2030s, assuring potential buyers of a strong pipeline for parts and support into the next decade. USAF has indicated it may retain as many as 600 F-16s into the 2030s. The service has also apparently deferred plans to seek a program for a new multirole fighter—not as sophisticated as the F-35—to be called the MR-F or MR-X. That aircraft was expected to have capabilities comparable to those of the F-16.
While Lockheed Martin has tooled for four aircraft a month, “we are always evaluating and looking at ways to increase production to meet customer needs,” the spokesperson said.
“New digital engineering technologies have been implemented into the production line to maximize efficiency and decrease span time. Additionally, we have added more suppliers for certain components, such as our Johnstown, Pennsylvania, facility, to allow us to meet current program needs and future opportunities for new production F-16s,” she said.
The Block 70 is being marketed to countries that either want to expand their existing F-16 fleets or are not customers for the more sophisticated and stealthy F-35 fighter.
The most advanced version of the F-16, the Block 70/72 mounts the APG-83 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar, a new electronic warfare suite called Viper Shield, a more powerful mission computer, an updated cockpit with larger color displays—including zoom and the ability to rearrange displayed information—an uprated engine, capability for most modern weapons, conformal overwing fuel tanks and an infrared search-and-track system and targeting pod capability, improved data links, precision GPS navigation, and an automatic ground collision avoidance system (GCAS), among other improvements. The Block 70/72 also has a structural service life of 12,000 hours, about 50 percent longer than previous F-16s, meaning the type could stay in service until 2060 or so.
The U.S. Air Force bought its last new F-16, a Block 50 model, in 2005. Air Force F-16s are getting some of the improvements available in the Block 70, such as the AESA radar, but the service shifted its acquisition focus on new aircraft first to the F-22 and then the F-35. The service has said it will retire all its early-model, or “pre-block,” F-16s in the next few years.
Slovakia is planning to acquire 70 Block 70/72 F-16s, and that country has offered to give a dozen of its retiring MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine. However, sources have reported that Ukraine has sought to buy F-16s of its own. There has been discussion of providing F-16s from U.S. stocks to Ukraine, but no firm plans have been announced.
The F-16 has been in the U.S. Air Force operational inventory since 1978, when the F-16A entered service. The aircraft is a development of the YF-16 prototype fighter, which won the Lightweight Fighter Competition in 1974. More than 30 countries have since operated the F-16, and 25 are flying some version of the jet today. More than 4,550 F-16s have been produced.
First F-16 Block 70 Emerges From Lockheed Martin’s New Factory—128 More on Order | Air & Space Forces Magazine
The first F-16 of the Block 70/72 configuration has rolled out of Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, S.C., facility.
www.airandspaceforces.com
