January 3, 2008:
Pakistan has purchased
another 18 U.S. F-16 fighters, for about $28 million each. Twelve will be
single seat F-16C models, while the other six will be two seat (for training)
F-16Ds. These are aircraft without a lot of the latest electronics, which can
nearly double the price. Over 4,000 F-16s have been sold so far, and is still
being built. The Pakistanis already have 35 F-16s, armed with AIM-120C-5 AMRAAM
and AIM-9M-8/9 Sidewinder air-to-air
missiles, as well as JDAM smart bombs and
Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles. Pakistan is also getting the
Joint-Helmet Mounted Cueing System, and targeting pods. The 17 ton F-16 is to
be replaced by the F-35, in many air forces, over the next two decades.
Pakistan wants to replace its 160 Chinese F-7s (a copy of the MiG-21) with
F-16s and other more modern aircraft.