F-16 Viper

[asianobserve]

Please consolidate all F-16 discussions to this thread for a more comprehensive discussion on the subject.

 

[asianobserve]

LM begins F-16V production for Bahrain

Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed Al Khalifa, ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States, visited Lockheed Martin’s production line in Greenville, South Carolina, to mark to start of the country’s contract for 16 new-build F-16Vs.

https://www.janes.com/article/93267/lm-begins-f-16v-production-for-bahrain

 

[asianobserve]

Taiwan, USA proceed with F-16V deal

Taiwan has confirmed that the US Foreign Military Sale of 66 Lockheed Martin F-16Vs to the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) is in the implementation stage, after both sides signed the letter of offer and acceptance (LOA).

https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/taiwan-usa-proceed-with-f-16v-deal/135929.article

 

[asianobserve]

Lockheed Martin to upgrade Greece's F-16 fighter jets

Greece boasts a fleet of some 150 F-16 fighters. Earlier this month, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told the parliament that 84 of them would be upgraded to the advanced Viper class by 2027. The total cost of the upgrade program is estimated to reach $1.5 billion, according to the AP news agency.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.dw...-upgrade-greeces-f-16-fighter-jets/a-51815309

 

[asianobserve]

Philippines evaluating Gripen and F-16V for MRF programme, defence secretary confirms

https://www.janes.com/article/93332...-for-mrf-programme-defence-secretary-confirms

 

[asianobserve]

Indonesia signals F-16V intention

"We will buy two squadrons in the next strategic plan 2020-24," ACM Sutisna said in comments reported by the state-run Antara news agency. "We will purchase the newest type of Block 72 Viper."

https://www.janes.com/article/92380/indonesia-signals-f-16v-intention

 

[asianobserve]

DoD awards Lockheed Martin Slovak F-16V fighter contract

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Lockheed Martin USD799.9 million to build 14 F-16V Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon multirole combat aircraft for Slovakia.

https://www.janes.com/article/90215/dod-awards-lockheed-martin-slovak-f-16v-fighter-contract

 

[asianobserve]

Procurement: F-16 Immortality

The changes in the V model are considerable. The airframe is upgraded and strengthened to enable 12,000 flight hours per aircraft. The electronics undergo an even more extensive upgrade which involves replacing the mechanical radar with an AESA (phased array) radar, an upgraded cockpit, a Sniper targeting pod, a Link 16 digital data link and upgraded navigation gear. The newly redesigned cockpit is all digital and flat-screen touch displays that replace dozens of gages and switches and makes it much easier to fly the aircraft. AESA and the new fire control system makes it possible to track multiple aircraft at once as well as track vehicles on land or vessels at sea. The targeting pod enables the pilot to confirm (visually) what is on the surface and promptly attack it with smart bombs or missiles. LockMart expects to get orders for at least 700 newly built F-16V or less expensive upgrades. An upgrade brings in as little as $10 million per aircraft, which means five or ten of these upgrades equals the price of one new F-16V. But when you have orders for hundreds of F-16V upgrades you have a lot of work and it is often done in the same facilities where new F-16s are built.

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htproc/articles/20191220.aspx

 

[asianobserve]

US approves $1.7 billion sale to Bulgaria of 8 F-16 fighter jets

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale to Bulgaria of eight F-16 Viper fighter jets and associated equipment, weapons and training for an estimated $1.673 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a release.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thedef...a-f-16-fighter-sale-approved-1-7-billion/amp/

 

[asianobserve]

Northrop Grumman Gets Funding for Hundreds of F-16 Radars for USAF

The contract covers work on up to 372 radars through May 2027. It modifies an earlier award to finalize the funding.

AESA radars like Northrop’s APG-83 are used to find and identify targets.

https://www.airforcemag.com/northrop-grumman-gets-funding-for-hundreds-of-f-16-radars/

 

[captscooby81]

@asianobserve Whats the current production rate of F-16 by LM in its US plant ?

 

[asianobserve]

Morocco Cleared To Buy 25 Advanced F-16s And Upgrade Its Existing Fleet To F-16V Standardb

The U.S. government has approved the sale of 25 new F-16 Block 72s to Morocco, as well as an upgrade package to bring that country’s existing Viper fleet up to the very similar F-16V standard. If the North African nation were to pursue both deals, it would effectively double the size of the Royal Morocco Air Force’s F-16 fleet and significantly increase its combat capabilities.

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...advanced-f-16s-and-upgrade-its-existing-fleet

 

[asianobserve]

@asianobserve Whats the current production rate of F-16 by LM in its US plant ?

1 F-16 per month pending upcoming F-16V production orders.

 

[asianobserve]

Plenty of Life Left in the F-16

“We’re seeing a remarkable resurgence in interest in the F-16,” remarked Randy Howard, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 business development executive. “A lot of it has to do with the Block 70.”

Life Extension

In terms of structural life, 841 of the U.S. Air Force’s F-16s will go through a service life-extension program that raises their lives from 8,000 to 12,000 hours, sufficient to keep them in service until at least 2045. One test aircraft was put through a simulated life of more than 27,000 hours. New-production aircraft are now being built as 12,000-hour airframes.

Howard reported that there are four F-16V upgrade programs under way, covering more than 400 aircraft. He also envisions a realistic market for more than 400 new aircraft.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ai.../defense/2018-07-18/plenty-life-left-f-16?amp

 

[Wisemarko]

@asianobserve Whats the current production rate of F-16 by LM in its US plant ?

Currently production rate is 0 because new site was inaugurated in April this year in Greenville, SC. It will be 4 per month from 2021 at this site. Plant was transferred from Texas to Greenville last year and production process at Texas plant ended in November, 2017. It will take 2021 for the first jet to come out of the line in Greenville.
There is a resurgence in orders for F-16 including large order pending from Taiwan.
In 1980s, F-16 production rate was 30 per month!

 

[asianobserve]

Currently production rate is 0 because new site was inaugurated in April this year in Greenville, SC. It will be 4 per month from 2021 at this site. Plant was transferred from Texas to Greenville last year and production process at Texas plant ended in November, 2017. It will take 2021 for the first jet to come out of the line in Greenville.
There is a resurgence in orders for F-16 including large order pending from Taiwan.
In 1980s, F-16 production rate was 30 per month!

Last October it was 1 per month based on existing orders. I forgot the article either from janes or other defense news.

 

[Wisemarko]

Last October it was 1 per month based on existing orders. I forgot the article either from janes or other defense news.

1 per month where? None of the production lines are active. This is the last F-16 produced and that was in 2017.

 

[WolfPack86]

Lockheed Martin contracted to deliver F-16s to Bulgaria

 

[asianobserve]

View attachment 41098
1 per month where? None of the production lines are active. This is the last F-16 produced and that was in 2017.

Lockheed keeps F-16 production line going with Bahrain deal

Bahrain is set to become the first country in the region to operate Lockheed’s F-16 Block 70 aircraft, in a move that will boost the Falcon’s production line.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...f-16-production-line-going-with-bahrain-deal/

Lockheed Martin Inaugurates New F-16 Production Facility

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 23, Lockheed Martin formally opened its new F-16 production line in a newly refurbished hangar at Greenville, South Carolina. The event was attended by company officials and local political representatives. The manufacture of new F-16s is expected to start later this year, according to the company.

Greenville’s first order to be fulfilled is the 16-aircraft batch of F-16V Block 70 aircraft for Bahrain, ordered in June 2018 and due for delivery from 2020. Bahrain has also signed up to upgrade 20 existing F-16C/D Block 40 aircraft to the same standard, which includes APG-83 AESA radar. In November 2018 Slovakia signed the Letters of Acceptance covering the delivery of 14 F-16Vs by the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to negotiate with Bulgaria over the supply of an expected total of eight F-16Vs. In late March, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of up to 25 new F-16 Block 72s for Morocco, along with the upgrade of 23 existing aircraft to F-16V Block 52+ configuration. The F-16V is being proposed for other fighter requirements around the world, notably in India, where a further upgraded version is being touted for local production as the “F-21.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-04-25/lockheed-martin-inaugurates-new-f-16-production-facility?amp

 

[Wisemarko]

Lockheed keeps F-16 production line going with Bahrain deal

Bahrain is set to become the first country in the region to operate Lockheed’s F-16 Block 70 aircraft, in a move that will boost the Falcon’s production line.

https://www.defensenews.com/air/201...f-16-production-line-going-with-bahrain-deal/

Lockheed Martin Inaugurates New F-16 Production Facility

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 23, Lockheed Martin formally opened its new F-16 production line in a newly refurbished hangar at Greenville, South Carolina. The event was attended by company officials and local political representatives. The manufacture of new F-16s is expected to start later this year, according to the company.

Greenville’s first order to be fulfilled is the 16-aircraft batch of F-16V Block 70 aircraft for Bahrain, ordered in June 2018 and due for delivery from 2020. Bahrain has also signed up to upgrade 20 existing F-16C/D Block 40 aircraft to the same standard, which includes APG-83 AESA radar. In November 2018 Slovakia signed the Letters of Acceptance covering the delivery of 14 F-16Vs by the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to negotiate with Bulgaria over the supply of an expected total of eight F-16Vs. In late March, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of up to 25 new F-16 Block 72s for Morocco, along with the upgrade of 23 existing aircraft to F-16V Block 52+ configuration. The F-16V is being proposed for other fighter requirements around the world, notably in India, where a further upgraded version is being touted for local production as the “F-21.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-04-25/lockheed-martin-inaugurates-new-f-16-production-facility?amp

The production has resumed last year. Just received an order from Bulgaria. Now corona pandemic is creating some headaches.