지진으로 어려움을 겪는 파키스탄이 F-16 구매 숫자를 줄일것 같다는 뉴스입니다. 55대 구매에 20대 옵션이었지만 경제 사정이 여의치 않아서 도입시기가 계속 밀리고 있는데, 벨기에와 네덜란드의 중고 F-16 A/B를 제안받았고 현재는 24~36대 정도의 신조기 구입 얘기가 나오는것 같습니다. 미국에서 2005~2009년 까지 16.5억 달러의 금융지원을(foreign military financing (FMF)) 받을 예정인데 이미 일부는 C-130과 P-3 구매에 돈을 사용했다고 합니다. 또한 16대의 FC-1(JF-17)을 발주중에 있는데, 이중 8대를 파키스탄에서 조립한다고 합니다. 앞으로 100대 가량의 FC-1을 더 구매할거라고 하네요. 몇일전 FC-1(JF-17) 개량 사진을 올린적이 있는데... 스트레이크와 인테이크를 개량작업 하고 있으며 파키스탄에는 2007년에나 인도할 수 있다고 합니다. 돈 없어서 F-16은 못사고 FC-1은 116대 구매라... 이걸 어떻게 해석해야할지 모르겠네요. 개량작업 하면 성능은 올라가지만 가격도 따라서 올라갈텐데... 인접한 국가인 인도에서는 해리어를 앞으로도 5~6년간 더 사용할 예정이라고 합니다. MIG-29(K)와 LCA 해군용 버전이 그때까지 배치되기 때문에 해리어를 점진적으로 폐기한다고 하네요. LCA... 그것도 해군버전이 배치되는가 봅니다. 느림의 미학... 인도도 근성이 있네요. ㅡㅡ " http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/03/28/Navigation/177/205696/Pakistan+to+slash+F-16+requirement.html " Pakistan to slash F-16 requirement Response to catastrophic earthquake of 2005 saps Islamabad’s budget for planned fighter procurement Pakistan is expected to reduce significantly its requirement for new Lockheed Martin F-16s before it resumes negotiations with Washington over its stalled acquisition of new fighters. Islamabad issued a letter of request last April for 55 new F-16s, plus 20 options, but withdrew it in November in the wake of a catastrophic earthquake (Flight International, 15-21 November 2005). Industry sources say Pakistan is reluctant to restart the programme as it is still recovering from the natural disaster and it has yet to schedule a new round of talks with Washington. Pakistan is believed to be considering requesting fewer aircraft to reflect new constraints on its national budget following the earthquake, and has also dropped a possible alternative plan to buy used F-16s after receiving proposals from Belgium and the Netherlands. Sources say Islamabad is now likely to ask for 24 or 36 new F-16s, but warn the requirement is still being adjusted and say a new letter of request will not be submitted until at least the second half of this year. A letter of agreement, which Lockheed had been hoping to conclude by the end of last year, is now not expected until 2007. However, sources say Greece’s purchase late last year of 30 additional F-16s gives Pakistan another year to complete its acquisition without risking a possible gap in production. Pakistan’s new F-16 acquisition will be completed using a combination of local funds and foreign military financing (FMF) provided by Washington, with pressure on its own budget to be eased by the fewer aircraft it decides to buy. Washington has pledged at least $1.65 billion in FMF support for Pakistan from 2005 until 2009, but Islamabad has yet to decide how much of this to earmark for the F-16s. The first batch of funds is now being used to acquire additional Lockheed C-130 transports and P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Pakistan operates two squadrons of F-16A/Bs and late last year received two additional aircraft from the US excess aircraft inventory. Its air force plans to upgrade existing F-16s by installing Lock­heed-supplied kits at Pakistan Aero­nautical Complex. But a decision on the proposed upgrade, which will include structural enhancements and new avionics, will not be decided until after a configuration for the new fighters is chosen. " http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/03/28/Navigation/177/205697/Chinese+purchase+still+stands.html " Chinese purchase still stands Pakistan is moving forward with its purchase of Chengdu Aircraft (CAC) JF-17/FC-1/Super-7 light fighters, despite a delay to the Sino-Pakistani development programme. Industry sources say the first prototype of the newly modified FC-1 is now scheduled to begin flight testing in April. CAC, which flew the initial prototype in 2003, redesigned the fighter last year to incorporate improved air intakes and wing leading-edge strakes (Flight International, 27 September–3 October 2005). The redesign has forced CAC to delay delivery of the first production aircraft to launch customer Pakistan until 2007. Pakistan has ordered 16 FC-1s, eight of which are to be assembled by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Pakistani sources say PAC’s schedule to begin FC-1 production later this year has not been affected by the delays in the development programme, with the company now preparing for FC-1 production by building a new factory and establishing additional infrastructure. Later, PAC expects to also produce subassemblies and components for a second batch of at least 100 FC-1s, which Pakistan plans to acquire following a successful completion to the development programme. " http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=373150 " Sea Harriers to be phased out in next six years KOLKATA, MAR 27 (PTI) The Navy is planning to phase out its Sea Harrier aircraft by the next six years by which time it expects MiG-29s and the Naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft to be operational, Flag-Officer-Commanding in Chief (East), Vice Admiral Sureesh Mehta, said today. "We will have the MiG-29 and the LCAs. The naval version of the LCAs will be ready in the next five to six years. Till then, the Sea Harriers will continue," he told reporters after the launching of the 'INS Airavat,' a Landing Ship Tank Large (LST-L), at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). Stating that the Navy has been allotted Rs 4,700 crore for fleet acquisition during the current year, he said of this, Rs 1,400 crore had been given to the Mazgaon Docks Ltd, Rs 550 crore to the GRSE and Rs 100 crore to the Goa Dockyard. The Navy has placed orders with the GRSE for four Fast Attack Craft (FACs), four Corvettes and three LSTs, Mehta said, adding, "now they have their hands full for 10 years." 'Airavat,' having more than 90 per cent indigenous content, is the fifth ship of the LST(L) class being built by GRSE. The earlier ships of this class, 'INS Magar' and 'INS Gharial' were built at GRSE and delivered during 1987 and 1997 respectively. Two other ships of this class 'INS Shardul' and 'INS Kesari' are in advanced staged of fitting out at GRSE. Earlier, speaking at the launching of 'INS Airavat' he described the LST(L) project as a major landmark in the growth of the country's naval shipbuilding activities. Pointing out that the 'Shardul' class landing ships would be commissioned this year, Mehta said these would enable the Navy to enhance capabilities especially in the island territories.