Pakistan among partner countries awarded US $488 million contract for F-16 radar support

WASHINGTON – The United States Air Force has awarded a $488 million contract to Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. for long-term engineering and technical support of radar systems used in F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, with Pakistan listed among the beneficiary countries. The official award notice said that the contract is structured as a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity agreement. It will provide support for APG-66 and APG-68 radar systems installed on F-16 aircraft. The work will be carried out in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is scheduled to continue until March 31, 2036. The programme falls under the Foreign Military Sales framework and includes multiple allied and partner countries, including Bahrain, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, South Korea, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Thailand and Turkiye. The contract was issued on a sole-source basis by the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Centre. At the time of award, $2.64 million in fiscal 2026 funding has already been obligated. Officials said the arrangement is aimed at ensuring continued operational readiness of F-16 fleets operated by partner air forces under long-term sustainment and maintenance support. Pakistan remains one of the countries operating US-origin F-16 aircraft under periodic maintenance and upgrade agreements. The development follows a separate notification issued by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency in December 2025, when Congress was informed of a proposed $686 million package to upgrade and support Pakistan’s F-16 fleet. That proposed package includes upgrades to avionics, communication systems, secure data links, navigation tools and identification systems, along with training, simulators and logistical support. The US officials said that the upgrades are intended to improve interoperability with partner forces, enhance operational safety and extend the service life of Pa