Turkey set to modernize Pakistan's F-16s

Turkey set to modernize Pakistan's F-16s

Plan involves $75 million modernization effort amid controversy over U.S. jet sale to Pakistan.
By Geoff Ziezulewicz | May 16, 2016 at 11:02 AM

ISTANBUL, Turkey, May 16 (UPI) -- Turkey has agreed to a $75 million deal to modernize Pakistan's F-16 fleet.

Some of the Pakistani jets have already been flown to Turkey, a senior Turkish official told reporters Saturday at the Istanbul-based Foreign Economic Relations Board.

The weekend announcement comes amid continued controversy regarding a pending $700 million sale of 8 F-16s from the U.S. to Pakistan.

Some U.S. lawmakers have questioned Pakistan's use of such new jets and its steadfastness as an American ally when opposing the sale.

Volkan Yuzer, the economic relations board's Asia-Pacific regional coordinator, said Turkish-Pakistani relations were growing in the defense industry and that Turkey was already manufacturing F-16 jet engines and spare parts for the country.See http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Securi ... 463402953/

Chatter from Pakistani defense forums state that the upgrades include Turkish Mission Computers and IFF Systems. If this is correct this would have wide geopolitical ramifications.

Probably MLU update of the ADF-Vipers Pakistan recently bought from Jordan.

Probably MLU update of the ADF-Vipers Pakistan recently bought from Jordan.

Pakistan has 45 x F-16AM/BM MLU, 18 x F-16C/D (8-18 x F-16C/D on order) and 13 x F-16A/B ADF.

The contract is for the modernization of the entirety of the Pakistani F-16 fleet.

The only thing Turkey can modernize the entire Pakistani viper fleet is with new mission computer, IFF systems, integration with the ASELPOD, AVCI Helmet Mounted Cueing system and Turkish precision strike weapons such as the SOM and TEBER Guidance kits. Considering the its costing $75 million for the 90+ viper fleet I think chatter about new IFF systems may be right.

Probably MLU update of the ADF-Vipers Pakistan recently bought from Jordan.

Pakistan has 45 x F-16AM/BM MLU, 18 x F-16C/D (8-18 x F-16C/D on order) and 13 x F-16A/B ADF.

The contract is for the modernization of the entirety of the Pakistani F-16 fleet.

The only thing Turkey can modernize the entire Pakistani viper fleet is with new mission computer, IFF systems, integration with the ASELPOD, AVCI Helmet Mounted Cueing system and Turkish precision strike weapons such as the SOM and TEBER Guidance kits. Considering the its costing $75 million for the 90+ viper fleet I think chatter about new IFF systems may be right.

I think you misunderstood the news. Pakistan's non-MLU F-16 fleet will be upgraded with MLU kits provided by Lockheed Martin in TAI's facilities in Ankara, Turkey. TAI has done a similar kit installation and testing of PAK F-16s before.

F-16A #14733 Defence Day 2018 19sq Pakistan

F-16AM #84709 Islamabad 6 Sept 2018

F-16AM #84717 Islamabad 15 Mar 2018

F-16AM #85722 & 92622 Pakistan 23 Mar 2018

F-16D+ #10805 Pakistan 19 Mar 2018

We have 52MLU Vipers(including some EDAS(Excess Defence Articles))
We have 18 Block-52+ C/Ds
We have 13 ADF Variants

Talks are in Final Stages for MLU Upgrade for all ADF Jets, and also for 18 Used Danish F-16 AM's/BM's.

Goal is to have a sizeable fleet of 110Vipers in 5years.