Why pakistan should buy F-16 not F-35

NOTE: this is based on my personal research not for any references

Quaid-E-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said “a country without strong air force is on the enemy’s mercy”. Pakistan is strongly believer of making its air force stronger and stronger. Recently fifth generation strategic stealth aircraft F-35 lightening shocked the world. This incident make people think that Pakistan should buy that fifth generation multirole stealth aircraft.


JSF F-35 have revolutionary avionics, it has AMLCD (active matrix liquid crystal display) which allow to perform any function by just a touch, DAS (distributive aperture system) is the most revolutionary thing it have advance IFF (interrogation friend and foe) and ends the element of surprise, this is called complete situational awareness when pilot is flying he knows every thing near and far from him. The most amazing technology in F-35 is VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) it uses its nozzle pointing down to hover.

Fig 1: F-35

Fig 2: F-16E

I heard recently that one military analyst said that Pakistan should buy this aircraft. I started to think on this issue then I realized Pakistan have to replace some of its F-7 phantoms so why not F-35 should take place of them. That’s sounds great but wait is there any reason to not replace f-7 by F-16S?

Talking about F-35 it does have great avionics but is it right to make a new plane just for good avionics? The answer of that question was found in F-16F the HMD used in F-35 is being used in F-16 and F-18. So why should one buyF-35 instead of modifying its older F-16’s. Again the question asked for the AMLCD but it could also be replaced in F-16. Talking of DAS it could also included in F-16. The diamond of the crown of F-35 is its RADAR APG-81 it can simultaneously tag, track scan and lock more than 100 targets in 9 seconds. So if every thing of F-35 could be included into F-16 then why U.S has made that the answer is of one word “stealth”.

Talking of Pakistan F-35 does not suit for Pakistan Air Force because Pakistan Air force is Tactical air force and it do not require strategic aircrafts. But we should look at another angle the cost. The cost per unit of F-3 is 194 million U.S.$. That’s not only one time price the maintenance cost of F-35 is so high that state like U.S could not afford it they stopped the project.

The only reason for developing F-35 was VTOL and Stealth but the price for these two properties is so high that a third world country could not even dream of buying that aircraft. On other hand F-16 is of 59 U.S. $ and developing it into fifth generation could cost 50 million more even then F-16 is so cheaper then F-35.

The biggest of all issue is reliability. F-16 is tested and reliable aircraft in different circumstances pilots do know its ability and limits on other hand F-35 is new product never being tested nor any pilot is familiar of fighting a battle with this aircraft. for Pakistan it would be too difficult to manage pilots and make them to understand the aircraft that’s require them more then a year. On other hand F-16 is easy to operate for pilot because they are use too of that aircraft and they trust this aircraft.