Northrop Grumman is now flying its Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) on a USAF F-16.

The interesting question here is how much this will influence current F-16 operators who are currently considering purchasing the F-35.

I think that it is likely that the capabilities of an avionics suite installed on an F-16 can come close to that installed in a JSF: Even with an advanced sensor suite, it’s clear that the F-16 will be less than ½ the price, and less than ½ the direct operating costs.

Additionally, any avionics package is far more open to the development of national systems and upgrades, and the ability to operate 2-3 times as many aircraft, particularly if the nation expects to operate largely in coalition action or counter-insurgency scenarios, might very well deliver superior results on the battlefield.