Friday 13 October 2017

Hellenic Air Force to upgrade F-16

Image: From the net

EKTAKTH UPDATE: End of the month the F-16 modernization agreement?

From VESSEL & SPACE - October 11, 2017

According to a report by the American magazine AW & ST in its electronic version, the agreement to modernize the F-16 of the Hellenic Air Force is expected to be signed at the end of the month. The very well-informed US form that has strong access to the American industry refers to an agreement worth up to $ 1.5 billion, which refers to a program that probably includes all Fighting Falcon Block 50, Block 52 + and Block 52M.

The "signing of agreement" clearly refers to the acceptance of Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) following the request made by the Greek side at the beginning of 2017.

As we had recently analyzed in our P & J issue, the offer-acceptance letter was expected to "return" in mid-September, which apparently happened. The acceptance of the US proposal will also be based on the program, which will be implemented through the FMS procedure, with individual agreements then signed between the parties concerned.

Estimate is that if the framework agreement is signed at the end of the month, then it may be announced during the imminent voyage of the prime minister in Washington next week as high on the agenda of meeting with US President Trump and other officials in Washington there is the subject of defense cooperation. So open is the possibility that the announcements will include some form of US aid to this armament program.

As mentioned above, $ 1.5 billion (and based on our past analyzes) refer to the F-16V (GR) level update of Block 50 (30 F-16C & 7F-16D) Block 50 of the Peace Xenia program II (there is also the hybrid "1045" not included in this number), 55 Block 52+ (37 F-16C & 18 F-16D) of the Peace Xenia III program and 30 (20 F-16C & 10 F- 16D) Block 52M Peace Xenia IV.

Recent information reported that PA was giving priority to PXII and PXIII by leaving out PXIV. However, Lockheed Martin, in consultation with the Greek side, has included in the Letter of Request (LOR) earlier this year a proposal to create prototype aircraft for Block 52 M but mainly P & A requests for all versions of Viper in Greek service. Let's remind that for each Production Block in a Greek service to be launched for modernization a pair of prototype aircrafts (a car and a two-wheeled vehicle) to be subjected to certification testing of the configuration from the old to the new standard. Upon successful completion, the kits will be created and then placed on the other Blocks of the same Block (plug-an-play). In this context, Lockheed Martin proposes initially to create six prototypes, F-16C / D Block 50/52 + / 52M, and complete testing in a "package" that generates significant benefits: lower cost of the process compared to retrofit an individual leg of the program (although it initially has a higher cost), readiness to extend the program at any time without any other intermediate delays, etc.

If the AW & ST report confirms this, it means that all of the F-16s will be included in a program with an implementation horizon of about 7.5 years after signing the contract.

Translated by Google – Original post: ptisidiastima.com


Elliniki Aeroporia

Hellenic Air Force - HAF

The Hellenic Air Force (or Greek Air Force) has ordered a total of 170 F-16 aircraft, including F16CD block 30, 50, and 52 aircraft. These aircraft are equiped with state-of-the-art weapon systems: JDAM, JSOM, and WCMD ground attack munitions; IRIS-T and AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; JHMCS and NVG for the pilots; LANTIRN navigation and targeting system; and ASPIS electronic warfare suite.The latest order of block 52aircraft are equiped with conformal fuel tanks, in order to give them the range to cover Cyprus.


Source: f-16.net

F-16V Fighter – Upgrade: Details

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