US goes ahead with radar upgrade for Pakistan’s F-16 fleet, move a worry for India

In a determination that volition rise India’s concerns, the US is going up with a radar upgrade programme for Pakistan’s F16 fleet, which comprises 75 to 85 combatant jets. In a $488 mn deal, American defence large Northrop Grumman Systems Corp has been contracted to supply engineering and method enactment for F-16 radar systems nether the United States Air Force (USAF)’s overseas subject income programme for Pakistan and different beneficiary countries.The April 2026 declaration was announced amid heightened tensions successful the portion pursuing India’s Operation Sindoor which saw rocket strikes connected Pakistan panic hubs and subject assets, including aerial bases. The F16 upgrade programme besides comes astatine a clip erstwhile Pakistan has been hosting US and Iran delegations successful Islamabad for bid negotiations to extremity the West Asia conflict.The radar upgrade enactment is expected to beryllium completed by March 31, 2036.Pakistan’s F16 upgrade program volition beryllium noted with interest by India arsenic Indian Air Force’s craft squadron numbers person dipped to an alarming 29, arsenic against the minimum sanctioned spot of 42 required to combat a two-front warfare with China and Pakistan.The improvement comes months aft a abstracted US notification successful Dec 2025 erstwhile the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had informed Congress of a projected $686 cardinal bundle to upgrade and enactment Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.Besides Pakistan, the April 2026 declaration involves subject income to countries that see Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Oman, Poland and Türkiye.