The United States Air Force has signed a major defense contract worth $488 million with Northrop Grumman, under which long-term engineering and technical support will be provided for the radar systems of F-16 fighter aircraft. Pakistan is also among the countries that will benefit from this program in this agreement.
According to the official announcement, this contract is for the maintenance and upgrade of APG-66 and APG-68 radar systems, which are used in F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Work on this project will be done in the Linthicum Heights area of the US state of Maryland and this program will continue until March 31, 2036.
The agreement covers several allies and partner countries under the US Foreign Military Sales Program, including Pakistan, as well as several countries in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
In addition, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency had informed Congress in December 2025 of a $686 million package for the upgrade of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet, which includes modern communication systems, avionics upgrades, training and logistical support.
According to US officials, the aim of this program is to improve mutual coordination between Pakistan, the US and coalition forces and strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism operations.
According to defense experts, these measures will play an important role in maintaining the operational capability of the Pakistan Air Force and aligning it with modern requirements, while also helping to extend the service life of the F-16 aircraft until 2040.