unit cost of F-16 A/C and Mig-23ML in 1990

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19 years 1 month

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Hi
Can someone give me an estimate of unit cost of F-16 and Mig-23ML in 1990

thanks

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I don't think they had price tags hanging from their pitot tubes. Individual costs are negotiated and subject to the terms of the deal between the purchasing government and sellers.

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rough idea ?
I bet 5-6 mil for mig-23 and 10-15 mil for f-16

any takers ?

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rough idea ?
I bet 5-6 mil for mig-23 and 10-15 mil for f-16

any takers ?


No idea on the MiG-23 but a stab in the dark for the F-16 could be the Pakistan deal signed in 1989 for Blk 15 OCU


In September of 1989, plans were announced by Pakistan to acquire 60 more F-16A/B's. A contract was signed in the same year under the Peace Gate IV Foreign Military Sales Programs, for the delivery of 60 F-16s for US $1.4 billion or approximately US $23 million a piece.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article14.html

The above price being FMS may have included spares and support for a period of time afterwards but probably gives a ball park figure of what non US customers were paying in that timeframe.

Further down that F-16.net article it states the following,


President Clinton briefed Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on US efforts to compensate Pakistan for the $658 million it paid for the 28 F-16s.

The above works out at US$23.5 million per jet.

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thanks Ozair

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Why the MIg 23 ? Why not a Mig 29 ?

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He wants the vipers to win decisively in a very target-rich environment.

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no just a simple comparison thats all
I personally think F-16A/C in the pre-AMRAAM era was a pretty overrated A2A fighter

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I personally think F-16A/C in the pre-AMRAAM era was a pretty overrated A2A fighter

I think that you probably right.

It was 'good enough' in all of the right categories and had paper performance which was very impressive (and looked beautiful before all of those functional but unsightly bulges were added)

Its BVR capability was also intentionally crippled by the USAF to prevent any threat to the F15's numbers

Credit to USAF though they knew all of the above and the limitations to AMRAAM's form were so that the F16 could begin to perform as well in reality as it did in flight sims.

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Schrem
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The Soviet answer to f16 was Mig 29

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МиГ-23МС и МиГ-23БH широко поставлялись на экспорт и в страны ╚третьего мира╩, чему способствовала, кроме высоких ЛТХ, относительно низкая стоимость истребителей. Так, в ценах 1980 г. один МиГ-23МС ╚отпускался╩ за 3,6-6,6 млн.долл. (в зависимости от степени ╚дружеского расположения╩ к стране-покупателю). Для сравнения, самолет IAI ╚Кфир"С.2, уступающий по боевым возможностям МиГ-23, по курсу 1978 г. стоил 4,5 млн.долл., ╚Мираж╩III - 6,5-7,5 млн.долл. (курс 1983 г.), F-16A - 14 млн.долл. (курс 1980 г.), а ╚простой и дешевый╩ истребитель Hортроп F-20 ╚Тайгер╩2 предполагалась продавать иностранным покупателям за 15 млн.долл. (курс 1985 г.).

MiG-23MS and MiG-23BH were widely exported to third world countries, which was facilitated by the relatively low cost of fighters, in addition to good flight characteristics. So, in 1980 prices, one MiG-23MS was released for $ 3.6-6.6 million. (depending on the degree of "friendly location" to the buyer country). For comparison, the plane IAI Kfir "C.2, second in combat capabilities MiG-23, at the rate of 1978 cost 4.5 million dollars, Mirage III - 6.5-7.5 million dollars (course 1983 ), F-16A - $ 14 million (course of 1980), and a simple and cheap fighter Northrop F-20 Tiger2 was supposed to be sold to foreign buyers for $ 15 million (1985 rate).

http://airwar.ru/history/locwar/bv/mig23/mig23.html

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no just a simple comparison thats all
I personally think F-16A/C in the pre-AMRAAM era was a pretty overrated A2A fighter

Of course, the F-16 was always a multirole aircraft from the beginning - MiG-23, not so much.

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Thanks Levsha
yes indeed f16 was a great multirole aircraft in the 80s, I wondered how agile it was when burdened with external loads when carrying out strike missions though ?

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Schrem

Yeah that's kinda lame. Comparing top of the line F-16s to Mig 23's.

The Soviet answer to f16 was Mig 29


this thread is set in the late 80s to 1990
large numbers of mig-23ml and mf confronted f-16A/C during this era
mig-29 was only in small numbers like 700 in VVS by 1989

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one MiG-23MS was released for $ 3.6-6.6 million. (depending on the degree of "friendly location" to the buyer country).

The above statement illustrates why a comparison is difficult. What version of MiG-23 are we talking about? MiG-23MS was an export monkey model. What "customer" are we talking about, i.e. level of friendliness.
Has the MiG-23 in a non-monkey-model version ever been sold to a non-puppet state? Prices among socialist brother states are pretty meaningless, as are rip-off sales to arab countries.

Whereas in the west, GD/LM probably charged the full amount to every customer.

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yes indeed f16 was a great multirole aircraft in the 80s, I wondered how agile it was when burdened with external loads when carrying out strike missions though ?

Not vey agile - like any other aircraft that's heavily laden.

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I meant the cost of Mig-23ML to domestic market i.e VVS or PVO

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Not vey agile - like any other aircraft that's heavily laden.

so in A2G missions they needed escorts ?
Like in Osirak raid ?

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Im still just curious. What does a big hulking swing wing Mig 23 fighter/interceptor have to do with F-16's ?

There is plenty in the US inventor to compare Mig 23's to. Phantoms. Avadarks. Tomcats.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Uzjb070gW2o/maxresdefault.jpg

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I been reading Red Eagles, about the secret squadron if MiG's that the USAF had squirreled away at Tonopah. They consistently bemoan the -23's horrible, terrible, awful flying qualities. They absolutely dreaded flying that thing in anything but a fast, straight line.

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^ was it the migs from egypt ? that must be the mig-23MS