Posted on 06/29/2009 7:25:38 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Pakistan Updates F-16s, Builds JF-17s
Posted by Graham Warwick
6/29/2009 9:52 AM CDT
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI, aka Tusas) says it has finally signed the deal to upgrade Pakistan's F-16A/Bs. The contract, worth around $75 million, is to install Mid Life Update kits and structural modifications in 42 F-16s over 46 months beginning in October 2010 - about two years later than originally planned. Pakistan is also to receive 18 new F-16C/Ds beginning in 2010.
JF-17s (Photo via Wikipedia)
The chief of Pakistan's air force, meanwhile, says production of the JF-17 lightweight fighter codeveloped with China will begin at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex's Aircraft Manufacturing Facility at the end of June, aiming for a first flight by year-end. Pakistan announced an order for 42 JF-17s in March, financed by China.
In other fighter news, the de facto US ambassador in Taipei says the Obama Administration will consider the sale of 66 F-16C/Ds to Taiwan once key officials are in place. Taiwan first requested F-16s in 1997, but China vehemently opposes the sale. Currently F-16 production is to end in 2012 with the delivery of 30 C/Ds to Turkey.
Cool... targets!
JF-17
AKA - Raptor food.
Except there will too many of them, along with a pisspot full of Flankers (Su-27 & Su-30) for the 180 some Raptors to "digest". Not that all 180 some would ever be in the same theater, let alone the same fight.
It would be like the Shermans verses the German tanks in WW-II. The Germans killed Shermans until they ran out of ammunition, then the Shermans got in close and killed the Panzers, what the infantry had left for them that is.
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