WASHINGTON: The United States Air Force has awarded a $488 million contract to Northrop Grumman for long-term engineering and technical support of F-16 Fighting Falcon radar systems, with Pakistan among the beneficiary countries.
According to the official award notice, the firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract will support the APG-66 and APG-68 radar systems installed on F-16 Fighting Falcon jets. The work will be conducted in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is scheduled to continue through March 31, 2036.
The contract falls under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme and includes multiple partner nations such as Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Thailand, and Turkiye, among others.
Issued on a sole-source basis by the US Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, the contract initially obligates $2.64 million in fiscal 2026 non-appropriated Air Force and Navy funds.
The agreement highlights continued US support for maintaining F-16 operational readiness across allied fleets, including Pakistan, which operates US-origin fighter aircraft under periodic upgrade and sustainment arrangements.
The development follows a separate notification by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in December 2025, which informed Congress of a proposed $686 million upgrade package for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. The package includes Link-16 data systems, avionics upgrades, cryptographic equipment, training, and logistical support.
Lockheed Martin has been identified as the principal contractor for the proposed upgrade programme, which aims to extend the service life of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet through 2040 while enhancing operational safety, precision navigation, and secure communications capabilities.
US officials noted that the programme would not require additional personnel deployment to Pakistan and would not impact US defense readiness. The DSCA also stated that Pakistan has the capacity to absorb and sustain the upgrades.
Officials familiar with the matter indicated that Pakistan has welcomed continued US support, viewing the upgrades as essential for maintaining interoperability with allied forces while diversifying its broader airpower capabilities.
Together, the newly awarded support contract and the proposed upgrade package underscore sustained US engagement in strengthening Pakistan’s F-16 fleet under the broader framework of defense cooperation and regional interoperability.
Story by Anwar Iqbal
