Forum: General F-16 forum

Can anyone tell me what the prce is (approx.) of various F-16 models?

F_4Phantonm

F-16.net Sponsor

One F-16I is approx is about 45 million US. $.

As far as I know, the price of a F-16A/B, like those sold to Taiwan, is about 25 million USD.

Actually, getting right the price of a combat aircraft is not easy Rolling Eyes

. Sometimes, you can see very different prices for the same plane. Firstly, it depends whether you talk about off-the-shelf price (that is the kind of price I have just given) or you take into account development cost (if you do, price is actually often multiplied by 1.5 or even much more).

Secondly, you have to remember that nobody buys an aicraft alone, so you have to add the cost of weapons and special equipments needed to use the plane. Do not forget that each customer often asks specific equipement to be fitted, which may make the price vary.

And thirdly, there are maintenance costs and various operating costs.
Fourly, now offsets are so common that prices are usually quite biased in military markets... Wink

So off-the-shelf price is only a part of the equation. For example, a Su-30M may look cheaper than a F-16, but it burns more fuel and is harder to maintain, so a F-16 is actually much cheaper to operate. Moreover, US could probably provide more offset opportunities than Russia.

Then I can give some off-the-shelf prices I found anyway(million USD): Gripen 20, Rafale and Eurofighter about 50, Su-30M 35, Mirage 2000-5 40, Super Hornet 45.

Don't forget you don't just buy the plane. You have to also buy the spares, training, logistics, simulators, etc. (and the politicians)

I just read a press report that stated the recent UAE F-16E/F deal was for 80 aircraft in a US$6.4 billion - that works out to $80 million per plane but, as I stated before, it probably includes spares etc.

Right, that sounds more like a realistic price.

Actuly one F-1616E/F is approx. is about 50-55 million US. $. Wink

Wildcat wrote:

As far as I know, the price of a F-16A/B, like those sold to Taiwan, is about 25 million USD.

Are you talking about the Block 20s? Coz those are as much A/B as the Raptor is F/A Laughing

Politics

Block 20 is still technically an F-16A/B. Basically a "new-build" with all the MLU bells and whistles.

Right, it is a "whoopee" F-16A, but still a F-16A airframe. Smile

Either way, it's a pretty long way off what the US would have the Chinese believe... Rolling Eyes

Wildcat wrote:

A Su-30M may look cheaper than a F-16, but it burns more fuel and is harder to maintain, so a F-16 is actually much cheaper to operate. Moreover, US could probably provide more offset opportunities than Russia.

Su-30 is a twin engined dragon, where as F-16 is a single engined Ant. why are you comparing a dragon with ant?

007india wrote:

Wildcat wrote:

A Su-30M may look cheaper than a F-16, but it burns more fuel and is harder to maintain, so a F-16 is actually much cheaper to operate. Moreover, US could probably provide more offset opportunities than Russia.

Su-30 is a twin engined dragon, where as F-16 is a single engined Ant. why are you comparing a dragon with ant?

Probably 'cause he had better figures for the Su-30? A MiG-29 might have been a better comparison, but the MiG has twin engines too! Poke

Yh! so what?

007india wrote:

Yh! so what?

Nothing major. I think it was only a simple comparison between total 'costs' of 2 different popular fighters - reminding the reader that it's not only the unit fly-away cost to factor in... It's also the complete package costs (and life-cycle) which should be factored when 'shopping'.

I mean, one couldn't make any comparison between the Su-30XX and F-16E/F? Just because one is a 2-engine heavy fighter and one is lighter-weight single-engine craft?

BTW, what is your thinking re: MMRCA? By the sound of the F-16IN, it will be highly equipped, so it will probably have the highest ever 'unit cost', compared to any previous F-16 - not to mention the training, support and spares. Likewise, the actual market cost of the proposed 'advanced Gripen' and 'Mig-35' systems will be more expensive than any previous SAAB/Mig unit.

Cheers-

Forum: General F-16 forum

Price of various F-16 models?