|
|
|
F-16 FIGHTING FALCON |
| |
 |
| |
F-16 Fighting Falcon is one of the best all weather, day/night, multi
role fighter, attacker, Bomber. Pakistan signed an agreement in
Dec, 1981 for the purchase of 40 F-16A/B (28 F-16A and 12 F-16B)
fighters for the Pakistan Fiza'ya (Pakistan Air Force, or PAF). The
first aircraft were accepted at Fort Worth in October of 1982, and he
first F-16, flown by Squadron Leader Shahid Javed, landed in Pakistan
at Sargodha Air Base on 15 January 1983 as part of a package of 6
aircraft (2 A's and 4 B's). The Pakistani F-16A/Bs are all Block 15
aircraft, the final version of the F-16A/B production run, and are
powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan. All 40 aircraft
were delivered between 1983 and 1987. Seven years after the first
order, in December of 1988, Pakistan ordered 11 additional F-16A/B
Block 15 OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade) aircraft (6 Alpha and 5
Bravo models) under the Peace Gate II program. These aircraft were
purchased as attrition replacements and fully paid for, but are still
awaiting delivery in the Arizona Desert. The delivery was cancelled
because of Pakistan's nuclear program (which US tried to stop in the
development stage and now want its roll back), according to US
intelligence the F-16As of Nos 9 and 11 Squadrons at Sargodha have
allegedly been modified to carry and deliver a Pakistani nuclear
weapon.
As a result, in accordance to the Pressler amendment to the Foreign
Assistance Act, which forbids military aid to any nation possessing a
nuclear explosive device, the United States government announced on
October 6, 1990 that it had embargoed further arms deliveries to
Pakistan. The 11 Peace Gate II aircraft were consequently stored at
the AMARC (Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center) at Davis-Monthan
AFB, AZ., also known as the Boneyard. There, they were put in "Flyable
Hold" for 5 years, during which time 85% of each aircraft's fuel
system was preserved with JP-9, and each aircraft had its engine run
once every 45 days. This resulted in the curious situation that most
of those aircraft now have more engine run time than air time, the
latter being only 6 hours. This low air-time figure, plus the fact
that these aircraft are the most modern F-16A/Bs built, is the main
reason why countries interested in second-hand F-16s first look at the
Pakistani airframes. In September of 1989, plans were announced by
Pakistan to acquire 60 more F-16A/Bs. A contract was signed in the
same year under the Peace Gate III/IV Foreign Military Sales Programs,
for the delivery of 60 F-16s for US $1.4 billion. The Brown amendment
later eased the restrictions on weapon exports to Pakistan, but
specifically excluded the F-16s from this release.
Pakistan had already paid $685 million on the contract for the first
28 F-16s (11 Peace Gate II and 17 Peace Gate III/IV), and insisted on
either having the planes it ordered delivered or getting its money
back. US then offered Pakistan to repay the money in the form of
wheat. In 2003 Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf visited USA, this
time the ties b/w US and Pakistan were pretty strong as Pakistan
helped US in war with Taliban in Afghanistan and is doing much to
assist US' war against terrorism. US announced a $3 bn package for
Pakistan and was willing to sell Pakistan F-16's this time but due to
India and mainly Israel US again stabbed Pakistan and cancelled the
program. After this F-16 story Pakistan will think twice before
getting in any other deal with US. |
| |
| |
|
SPECIFICATIONS |
|
Manufacturer |
Lockheed Martin |
| |
|
|
Crew |
One (trainer- two) |
| |
|
|
Wing Span |
32 ft 8in (9.8 m) |
| |
|
|
Length |
49ft ft, 5 in (14.8 m) |
| |
|
|
Max Speed |
2.0 Mach |
| |
|
|
Range |
2280 miles |
| |
|
|
Service Ceiling |
> 50,000 ft |
| |
|
|
Max T/O Weight |
37,500 lbs |
| |
|
|
Engine |
1 X F-100 PW-200/220 |
| |
|
|
Armament: |
One M-61A1 20mm multi-barrel
cannon with 500 rounds
A/A: AIM-7, AIM-9P, AIM9L, Matra
R.530
A/G: AGM-88, AGM-65, GBU-12, GBU-10, MK-82, MK-84, MK-20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
|