TAI completes Pakistani F-16 upgradation

Two F-16 Fighting Falcons break out of formation(U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald) Turkish Aerospace Industries (T...

Two F-16 Fighting Falcons break out of formation(U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald)

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has completed the Pakistani F-16 Mid Life Upgrade (MLU), with the delivery of the last four F-16 to Pakistan Air Force at a ceremony held at TAI's facilities in Ankara, Turkey, on September 02.

Under the Peace Drive II deal signed in 2009, TAI has completed avionics and structural modernization of 41 PAF F-16 Block 15 fighter jets which were acquired from 1982-83.

The upgraded fighters features APG-68(V)9 synthetic aperture radars, Joint Helmet Mounted Cuing System, AN/APX-113 Advanced Identify Friend or Foe Systems, AN/ALE-47 Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser Systems, Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System, Sniper targeting pods, ALQ-131 Block II and ALQ-184 Electronic Countermeasures Pods,JDAM capability, EGBU capability, AIM-120 AMRAAM capability and AGM-84 Harpoon capability.

The airframe structural life has increased to 8,000 spectrum hours. The MLU avionics upgrade is comparable to the latest Block 52 configuration.

TAI started co-producing F-16 in 1984 and has delivered 272 fighters to Turkish Air Force. TAI has also upgraded Jordanian and Turkish F-16s.