User:Prinz eugn/sandbox

Increasing cost and complexity
Some early proponents of the LWF program, such as John Boyd and Pierre Sprey, have criticized the evolution of the F-16 design into a more complex and expensive multi-role fighter as counter to the intention of the LWF program, which was to produce a simple air-to-air fighter. Harry Hillaker, a General Dynamics engineer described as "The Father of the F-16" is quoted in a 1991 interview as stating "If I had realized at the time that the airplane would have been used as a multimission, primarily an air-to-surface airplane as it is used now, I would have designed it differently."

In a departure from one of the F-16's original raison d'etre recent costs for both new and refurbished aircraft have risen significantly from its 1998 fly-away cost of $18.8 million (XXXX in early 2017). The F-16E/F Block 60, whose development was funded by the UAE, cost an estimated $200 million dollars per aircraft.

In 2014, the United Arab Emirates ordered 30 F-16E/F Block 60 aircraft with the average cost of $200 million.

In 2010, the Iraqi government requested a purchase worth up to $4.2 billion of 18 F-16IQ Block 52 aircraft with weapons, support equipment, spare parts, base construction, and training and logistical services. In 2011, Iraq ordered 18 F-16IQ (Block 52) under a $3 billion contract, with a follow-on order of 18 aircraft for $830 million.

In 2017, Romania purchased 12 refurbished used F-16A/Bs from Portugal for a total of €628 million, roughly $680 million, an average cost of $56 million. A $203 million follow-on deal however "includes nine F-16AM single-seaters and three F-16BM two-seaters as well as an overhaul of engines; initial logistics support; training of up to nine pilots, 75 technicians, and four mission planers; two years of on-site support; and updating the fleet to operational flight program (OFP) development software M5.2R standard, with support from Lockheed Martin." (http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/nothing-but-netz-will-romanias-new-fighters-come-from-israel-01499/)

This cost led the Polish deputy minister for national defence Bartosz Kownacki to counsel against buying used F-16s, saying that buying a new F-35 would be better value. In March 2017, the US government released plans to sell 19 new F-16s with 23 engines, radars, and armament to Bahrain for total cost of $4.867 billion. Prinz eugn (talk) 21:44, 4 July 2017 (UTC)