Lockheed Martin receives orders for billions of dollars worth of F-16s
Five countries ordered a total of 178 F-16V advanced fighter planes
Dan Arkin | 24/05/2021
The U.S. Air Force awarded a $14 billion contract to Lockheed Martin for the manufacturing of new F-16 fighter planes for the air forces of five countries - Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan and Morocco.
The contract calls for the manufacturing of 178 of the F-16 Block 70/72, the newest and most advanced model of the fourth-generation fighter. Due to the great demand for the jet, Lockheed Martin transferred the production lines to its plant in South Carolina to centralize all of its manufacturing of the fighters, which also undergo many upgrades.
Twenty-five countries (including Israel) are currently operating F-16s, and Lockheed Martin is simultaneously upgrading 400 planes of this type, including integration of new AESA radar for the upgraded F-16V to boost its capabilities for air-to-surface attack missions. The radar is produced by Northrop Grumman.
The U.S. Air Force is in the process of determining its future mix of fourth and fifth generation aircraft, and is transitioning to only four types of fighters. The most noteworthy plane in the new mix is the F-35, but the most advanced aircraft in the world, the F-22, is not included.
Source Israel Defense
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