The United States Air Force has awarded a $488 million contract to Northrop Grumman for long-term engineering and technical support of F-16 radar systems, with Pakistan included among the participating partner nations under the arrangement. The agreement is focused on sustaining the operational readiness of the AN/APG-66 and AN/APG-68 radar systems, ensuring their continued maintenance, reliability, and performance support through the year 2036.
The contract forms part of broader cooperation under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework, which is designed to provide allied air forces with consistent logistical and technical backing for advanced defence platforms. In this context, the programme reinforces long-term sustainment efforts for the F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet operated by Pakistan and other partner countries, helping maintain mission capability and interoperability with U.S. and allied systems.
In addition to this support package, the United States has also proposed a separate $686 million upgrade initiative aimed at further enhancing Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. That proposal includes improvements in avionics, secure communications systems, and expanded training support for personnel. Taken together, these measures reflect an ongoing defence relationship centered on modernization, improved operational effectiveness, and the extension of the aircraft’s service life well into the coming decades.
