F-16 IS VULNERABLE BEFORE INDIAN Su-30MKIs
BY SHAFIQ KHAN
CANADA
Pakistan’s United Bank Limited which employs
about 10,000 employees and has over 1000
branches in Pakistan and 50 abroad was sold
to a British and UAE consortium for $200.00
Million Dollars. Just imagine the amount of
people and their dependents making living
out of this huge banking network !
On the other hand, the entire network of
UBL worth equal to 4 (four) F-16 fighter planes.
Remember, Pakistan is getting 40-50.
17 years old wound of the people of Pakistan had not yet healed, when America happened to sprinkle some more salt by announcing to supply another batch of F-16s to Pakistan (who knows).
In September of 1989, plans were announced by Pakistan to acquire 60 more F-16A/B’s. A contract was signed in the same year under the Peace Gate IV Foreign Military Sales Programs, for the delivery of 60 F-16s for US $1.4 billion or approximately US $23 million a piece. By March of 1994, 11 of these planes had been built and were directly flown into the Sonoran desert where they joined the 11 Peace Gate III aircraft in storage. A further six aircraft were stored by the end of 1994, so that a total of 17 aircraft (7 F-16A’s and 10 F-16B’s) of the Peace Gate IV order are now stored. A stop-work order affected the remaining 43 planes of the Peace Gate IV contract.
The Brown amendment later eased the restrictions on weapon exports to Pakistan, but specifically excluded the F-16s from this release. Pakistan had already paid $685 million on the contract for the first 28 F-16s (11 Peace Gate III and 17 Peace Gate IV), and insisted on either having the planes it ordered delivered or getting its money back.
In March 1996, nine aircraft out of those which had already been manufactured for Pakistan, were sold to Indonesia. However, Indonesia cancelled this order on June 2nd, 1997. This ‘unexpected’ trouble with the Indonesian F-16 deal means a bigger problem to the Clinton administration both with respect to Pakistan and Indonesia. President Clinton had pledged to the Pakistan Prime Minister, Ms. Benazir Bhutto, that the money paid for the F-16s by Islamabad would be reimbursed if the equipment could not be delivered. In trying to come to terms with Islamabad’s demand that Washington would return the money, the Clinton administration went on to see if the planes could be sold to a third country and the proceeds transferred. Interested buyers included amongst others the Republic of China.
At the end of 1997, with chances of finding a buyer close to zero, it was decided to take the PAF F-16s out of flyable hold and into the Boneyard. The airframes were offered to the Philippine Air Force, in view of its modernization plans. However, lack of funds precluded this deal as well.
In May 1998, a rumor suggested that the 28 Pakistani AF F-16A/B aircraft stored at the AMARC could possibly be donated to the Air Force of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a part of the US led ‘Train & Equip’ program. As Pakistan is already taking part in this program (training Bosnian Army Anti-tank missile teams), this is a solution that could satisfy both sides in this long dispute. Again, this proved to be not viable.
After the detonation of five nuclear devices by India in May 1998, in a remote area close to its border with Pakistan, Washington feared that this might escalate the old border dispute between Pakistan and India to a full crisis. In order to keep Pakistan from responding to this challenge, US president Bill Clinton suggested that the 28 stored F-16s would be delivered after all, in batches of 1 or 2. However, the internal pressure on the government proved to strong and shortly after India’s demonstration, Pakistan responded by detonating an unknown number of nuclear devices.
Finally, on December 1st, 1998, the New Zealand. Government announced that it would lease-buy the 28 Pakistani F-16s stored at the AMARC. Three days later, the United States said they hoped for an ‘early and fair’ agreement on how to compensate Islamabad for its aborted purchase of US F-16 fighters. President Clinton briefed Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on US efforts to compensate Pakistan for the $658 million it paid for the 28 F-16s. US officials said the United States has already paid $157 million of this back to Islamabad, raising the money by selling aircraft components to other countries. New Zealand agreed to pay some $105 million over 10 years to lease the fighters, providing additional funds that could be used to give Pakistan some of its money back.
At the end of 1998, the United States announced it would pay Pakistan $326.9 million in cash and up to $140 million in other compensation to settle the eight-year dispute. The $140 million will include about $60 million in US white wheat that Pakistan will receive during the current US fiscal year, which began on October 1st. The remaining $80 million in compensation will be negotiated by the two sides. The F-16 issue has been a headache for Pakistan, which is grappling to repay millions of dollars on its $32 billion in foreign debt amid a hard currency drought caused by sanctions and the suspension of International Monetary Fund programs.
So this is the end of the earlier F-16s which virtually ended with daemonic deity in the name of American bully.
This is the reason that when last month American government announced to supply another batch of F-16s, the people of Pakistan did not demonstrate any celebration, enthusiasm and warmth because the earlier wound is still unhealed. The only government drummers were heralding the news knowing the embarrassment at the back of their head.
F-16s: Some Facts.
(1) The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations.
(2) In an air combat role, the F-16’s maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay, fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions.
(3) In designing the F-16, advanced aerospace science and proven reliable systems from other aircraft such as the F-15 and F-111 were selected. These were combined to simplify the airplane and reduce its size, purchase price, maintenance costs and weight. The light weight of the fuselage is achieved without reducing its strength. With a full load of internal fuel, the F-16 can withstand up to nine G’s – nine times the force of gravity – which exceeds the capability of other current fighter aircraft.
(4) The F-16A, a single-seat model, first flew in December 1976. The first operational F-16A was delivered in January 1979 to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
(5) The F-16B, a two-seat model, has tandem cockpits that are about the same size as the one in the A model. Its bubble canopy extends to cover the second cockpit. To make room for the second cockpit, the forward fuselage fuel tank and avionics growth space were reduced. During training, the forward cockpit is used by a student pilot with an instructor pilot in the rear cockpit.
(6) All F-16s delivered since November 1981 have built-in structural and wiring provisions and systems architecture that permit expansion of the multi-role flexibility to perform precision strike, night attack and beyond-visual-range interception missions. This improvement program led to the F-16C and F-16D aircraft, which are the single- and two-place counterparts to the F-16A/B, and incorporate the latest cockpit control and display technology. All active units and many Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units have converted to the F-16C/D.
(7) The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement creating a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. These countries jointly produced with the United States an initial 348 F-16s for their air forces. Final airframe assembly lines were located in Belgium and the Netherlands. The consortium’s F-16s are assembled from components manufactured in all five countries. Belgium also provides final assembly of the F100 engine used in the European F-16s. Recently, Portugal joined the consortium. The long-term benefits of this program will be technology transfer among the nations producing the F-16, and a common-use aircraft for NATO nations. This program increases the supply and availability of repair parts in Europe and improves the F-16’s combat readiness.
(8) USAF F-16 multi-mission fighters were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm, where more sorties were flown than with any other aircraft. These fighters were used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missiles sites and a variety of other targets.
(9) Most recently in the Spring of 1999 during Operation Allied Force, USAF F-16 multi-mission fighters flew a variety of missions to include suppression of enemy air defense, offensive counter air, defensive counter air, close air support and forward air controller missions. Mission results were outstanding as these fighters destroyed radar sites, vehicles, tanks, MIGs and buildings.
F-16s In Today’s World.
It was a time when F-16 would be number one and highly maneuverable Fighting Falcon in the world. But after 30 years, the world has greatly changed and not only other fighter planes are flying on the sky but F-16 itself has gone far beyond what it was 30 years back. Today, more than 30 countries of the world own about 5000 F-16s. A large number of countries who placed orders for F-16s over the years have backed off with their commitments and cancelled their orders. For instance, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iran, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain.
F-16 And Indian Su-30MKI.
Su-30MKI is a long-range, high-endurance, heavy-class Air Dominance Fighter with multi mission capabilities. It is currently the most advanced version of Su-27 Flanker flying anywhere in the world. The Su-27, which was first produced in the Former Soviet Union starting 1982 is counted among the world’s best fighter aircraft even without any upgrades; but some of the technology and capability that the Su-30MKI boasts has absolutely no parallels across the world’s air forces. The Su-30MKI gives its operator, the Indian Air Force, a capability that will remain unmatched by all rivals for the foreseeable future.
The aircraft is fitted with a satellite navigation system (A-737 GPS compatible), which permits it to make flights in all weathers; day and night. The navigation complex comprises an inertial directional system (Totem) and short and long range radio navigation systems. It also has a laser attitude and a heading reference system. An automatic flight control system makes all phases of its flight automatic, including the combat employment of its weapons. Once the automatic flight control system receives information from the navigation system, it solves the route flight tasks - involving a flight over the programmed waypoints, the return to the landing airfield, making a pre-landing maneuver and the approach for landing down to an altitude of 60 meters, as well as uses the data supplied from the weapons control and radio guidance command systems to direct the aircraft to the target and accomplish the attack.
The IAF signed a US $1462 million (equivalent to Rs 5122 crore) deal with Sukhoi on 30 November 1996 for the delivery of 40 Su-30 aircraft and the associated equipment from the Irkutsk plant in phased manner, spread out over four years - from 1997 to 2000. The contract provided for setting up of a Service Support Centre in India which was to undertake extended second line repair tasks of aircraft, avionics, aero-engines and aggregates to avoid the need to dispatch them to the manufacturer.
Under this original contract, Su-30s would be delivered to the IAF in four batches:
The first batch (Su-30MK-I) of 8 aircraft would be delivered in 1997. These were ‘standard’ Su-30s (a development of the Su-27UB) and contained 100% (probably) Russian components and are primarily sir-superiority aircraft only. These fighters were first delivered to India at Lohegaon AFS in March 1997. They were inducted into the IAF on 11 June 1997 by the then Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral. These planes are currently in service with IAF with serial nos SB001 to SB008 in the No. 24 Hunting Hawks squadron based at Lohegaon AFS.
Russia delivered the last 10 Su-30MKI fighters to India in December 2004, completing a contract for 50 of the modern fighter bombers. But this milestone does not mark the end of development for the SU-30MKI. The Su-30MKI ranks as one of the worlds most formidable tactical aircraft, and is one of the US Air Force’s justifications for procuring the expensive F/A-22 Raptor. The first eight Su-30Ks, which were not much different from standard Su-27UB aircraft, were delivered to India between March and June 1997, followed by 10 more in 1999 (tail numbers SB001 to SB018). The aircraft replaced MiG-21bis fighters in No 24 Squadron “Hunting Hawks” in Lohgaon, near Pune. The next 32 fighters were Su-30MKI versions, delivered in three batches and gradually upgraded to the full standard.
The Su-30MKI can carry 8,000 kg of stores on external stations . Typical missile armament includes combinations of R-27ER1 (AA-10) semi-active radar-guided air-to-air missiles (95 km range); R-77E active radar guided air-to-air missiles; and R-27R1 (60 km range), R-27ET1 (80 km range), R-27T1 (50 km range) passive IR air-to-air missiles; and R-73E (AA-11) short-range IR guided missiles. Up to 10 air-to-air missiles can be carried in various combinations. The aircraft has four underwing and two fuselage stations capable of carrying air-to-ground ordnance, including Kh-31P anti-radar missiles (110 km range), Kh-31A anti-ship missiles (70 km range), Kh-29L laser-guided or Kh-29T TV-guided air-to-ground missiles, and KAB-500L/Kr (laser/TV) guided bombs. The fuselage stations can also carry KAB-1500L/Kr bombs or Kh-59ME missiles, the latter using the APK-9 data link. Laser-guided weapons are used with the Lightning pod.
The war experts say that F-16 is vulnerable before Indian Su-30MKI.
War Materials Making Is A Very Lucrative Business For America:
The economic experts and people in general with a little common intelligence could easily understand that what America is trying to do by it’s power and bully on this planet is to win an economic war. America has reached to it’s present status of world’s only super power after defeating communism, witnessing the Soviet Union breaking up in 15 nations and the People Republic of China becoming more liberal and westernized by allowing western franchises to operate in China and it’s trade with the United States, Canada and other western countries.
As an employee has to work 20 or 26 days of the month in order to earn his pay-check, the same way, America has to count on every single day out of 365 days of the year to keep it’s superiority and maintain the standard of living of American people by hook or crook. America plans 100 years ahead considering what will be the world situation in the year 2100?
There are few things to remember:
(i) First of all, the American society and it’s system has reached to a saturation point where 100% of the citizens at their homes and offices have every single item of modern science and technology, from digital Camera to car and computer in their use.
(ii) Whatever American factories are producing are not only for the utilization of the American people but also for the export to the outside world to generate revenues.
(iii) In the United States, a greater portion of the commodities and merchandize are produced in the private sector, even F-16 Falcons, Hummer Jeeps, Missiles and Tanks are manufactured in the private sectors. But than the United States government has bound the manufacturers of armaments not to sale their armory without it’s permission, rather, the manufacturer produce the items and leave it to the disposal of the United States government.
(iv) For America, it is a very profiteering business. For instance, each F-16 plane costs $35.00 Million to $50.00 Million Dollars. In Pakistani Rupees it comes to 300 Crore.
An Illustration:
Pakistan’s United Bank Limited which employs about 10,000 employs and has over 1000 branches in Pakistan and 50 abroad was sold to a British and UAE consortium for $300.00 Million Dollars. Just imagine the amount of people and their dependents making living out of this huge network but in reality on the other hand, it is a price of 6 (six) F-16 fighter planes. And remember, Pakistan is getting 40-50.
(UNQUOTE)
That’s why, when the news was released that President Bush has agreed to sale another batch of F-16s to Pakistan, this news was also aired that the manufacturers of these planes Lockheed Martin would employ 5000 employees for next few years in order to manufacture these planes for Pakistan!
It’s not that America is doing a favor to Pakistan by giving F-16 Falcons but it has just made a ‘business deal’ with Pakistan to sale it’s merchandise to make few more Billion Dollars. It’s just manufacturer and customer relationship!
Just use your common sense, whatever armaments, fighter planes, missiles, tanks, tarpedoes and hundreds and thousands or war-related items are being produced by the American companies, could not be used within America! America definitely needs markets like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia and other 30-50 countries to sale it’s merchandise and make money out of it…that’s what it is doing, no surprises!
We all agree that America is a huge nation and it’s economy is very strong. But on the other hand, American banks also Kangaroo trillions of Dollars from Arab States and plunderers of the third world countries who keep the booty in the American treasury for the safe haven. Plus, America itself is directly involved in making money by bullying the world. Whether a thief robs a street-walker at gunpoint or America plunders Iraq and Afghanistan by Missiles and Aircraft carriers, it is all the same. Think about the amount of destruction in Afghanistan and Iraq of wealth, human lives and hundreds of years old building of a nation. History, geography, social, cultural, educational and political life, everything has changed because of the American invasion and occupation.
Today, the oil price is $50.00 to $55.00 per barrel and experts say in next 2-3 years, it would double, touching $100.00 per barrel. Could you imagine, how hard that would be for poor and developing countries to buy this energy to run their machinery? Whether poor countries are thinking this or not but America does.
Conclusion!
The most unfortunate part of the whole scenario is that, while the life ahead, after 5-10 years, would be more difficult for poor and heavily populated countries like India and Pakistan, both countries are still busy spending a substantial portion of their nations’ gross income on armament build up!
Why don’t both countries understand a very simple and small thing that neither India could swallow Pakistan, nor Pakistan could swallow India…so why all this arm race which involves Billions of Dollars from both sides? The irony is that the mass population of both countries even do not have clean water to drink, health services, facilities of transportation, books and schools for their children and law and order situation is totally beyond control. This race of arm-build up is ‘unending’ and will go ‘nowhere’ except destruction and bringing more and more swamp of misery and poverty for both countries.
The interesting part of the entire situation is that, both countries continue to equip themselves in a fear that the other would attack its soil. This is just a myth, apologue, false fear and running behind water in the desert.
called F-15s ‘Tomcats’. As far as Cope India 04 goes please read the following: