PakistanTalk Forum

Neo · 10-11-2009, 12:00 PM

PAF chief to attend F-16 ceremony in Texas

Sunday, October 11, 2009
By Mazhar Tufail

ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman will leave for the United States in a few days to attend the Pakistan F-16 Peace Drive I inauguration ceremony and a luncheon at the Lockheed Martin aeronautics company, the manufacturers of the state-of-the-art aircraft.

“The aircraft inauguration ceremony will be held on the company premises at Fort Worth in Texas at 10 am and will be followed by a celebration luncheon at 11:30 am on October 13,” a source told The News from the US.

According to the source, who wished anonymity, the contract for the supply of 18 new F-16C/D Block 52 aircraft was signed between the Pakistan and US governments on September 30, 2006 after a long series of negotiations.

He said the first batch of the aircraft would be delivered to Pakistan next year while the contract also includes an option for another 18 more aircraft.

“In the deal, the delivery of the 26 remaining Peace Gate III/IV aircraft and the upgrade of those aircraft and the remaining F-16A/B fleet were also agreed,” the source said.

During his US visit, the PAF chief would also put his signatures on one of the aircraft manufactured for Pakistan, the source said.

The Pakistani air chief would also hold meetings with senior USAF and other military officers during his stay in the United States, he added.

“With the delivery of the 18 new F-16s, Pakistan’s airpower will increase manifold. It will enable Pakistan deal effectively with the situation whenever a need arises for the use of airpower in the ongoing war on terror,” the source commented.

Solid Beast · 10-13-2009, 01:54 PM

* Press Release
* Source: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company
* On 12:30 pm EDT, Tuesday October 13, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News) unveiled the first of 18 new F-16s being produced for Pakistan in ceremonies today at its Fort Worth, Texas, facility. Officials including the Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. and Pakistan Air Forces were on hand to witness the event.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Quamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), accepted the first F-16 Block 52 aircraft on behalf of his nation. Also present were Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, and other senior officials.

The U.S. government was represented by Rep. Kay Granger, Texas 12th District, and Gen. Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

"Peace Drive is the flagship of modernization for Pakistan's Air Force. It is the latest configuration of the best 4th generation multirole fighter available in the world today," said John Larson, vice president of F-16 programs for Lockheed Martin.

The aircraft order is designated as "Peace Drive I," continuing a long tradition of naming F-16 international sales programs with the word Peace. The program raises the total number of F-16s ordered by Pakistan to 54. The Pakistan Air Force received its first F-16, in the Block 15 F-16A/B configuration, in 1982. Pakistan has been operating Lockheed Martin aircraft since 1963, when it received C-130B airlifters.

The Peace Drive I order is for 12 F-16Cs and six F-16Ds, all powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. The first aircraft - a two-seat F-16D model - will be delivered to the U.S. government (as agent for Pakistan in the Foreign Military Sales process) in December, with the remainder following in 2010.

The F-16 is the choice of 25 nations. More than 4,400 aircraft have been delivered worldwide from assembly lines in five countries. The F-16 program has been characterized by unprecedented international cooperation among governments, air forces and aerospace industries. Major upgrades to all F-16 versions are being incorporated to keep the fleet modern and fully supportable over the aircraft's long service life.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

F-16 is a registered trademark of Lockheed Martin Corp.

Proud to report that SU30MKI is no more King of the Skies in South Asia!

Solid Beast · 10-13-2009, 04:37 PM

Breaking Update!

http://www.f-16.net/news_article3869.html

:biggthumpup:

Solid Beast · 10-13-2009, 05:03 PM

She's a few years late and will be outmatched only in numbers by the IAF SU30MKI, but in 2010 till 2015 the Indian Air Force will be kept in checkmate by BVR capable fleet of F-16C/D + MLU as well as air born early warning radar systems consisting of high performance AESA radars. It would realistically be strengthening Pakistan's narrow air corridor to almost impenetrable levels accepted by international standards. We can now focus on breaking them in next summer on any remaining researching and analysing scumbags.