Posted on 06/26/2018 9:08:38 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Above: Artist's rendition of the F-16 Block 70 that will be built for the Kingdom of Bahrain at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Undefinitised Contract Action award represents the first F-16 Block 70 sale and the first F-16 production programme to be performed in Greenville, South Carolina.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is the first customer to procure the F-16 Block 70, the newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration.
"We value our long-standing relationship with the Kingdom of Bahrain and look forward to beginning production activities on their first Block 70 aircraft at our facility in Greenville," said Susan Ouzts, vice president of Lockheed Martin's F-16 Programme. "This sale highlights the significant, growing demand we see for new production F-16s around the globe."
Lockheed Martin expects F-16 production to create between 150 and 200 new jobs in Greenville. F-16 production also supports hundreds of US-based Lockheed Martin engineering, procurement, sustainment and customer support jobs and thousands of US supplier jobs. The F-16 supply chain is currently supported by 450 US suppliers in 42 states.
The F-16 Block 70 features advanced avionics, a proven Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, a modernised cockpit, advanced weapons, conformal fuel tanks, an automatic ground collision avoidance system, an advanced engine and an industry-leading extended structural service life of 12,000 hours.
The combat-proven F-16 continues to prove itself as the world's most successful, combat-proven multi-role fighter. To date, 4,604 F-16s have been procured by 28 customers around the world. Approximately 3,000 operational F-16s are flying today with 25 leading air forces, including the US Air Force.
Lockheed Martin has also announced Robert (Bob) S. Harward will expand his role to lead the company’s growing Middle East business as the Chief Executive for Lockheed Martin in the Middle East. In this new role he will be responsible for the company’s strategy, operations and growth in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Bob has exceptional experience across the region and unparalleled knowledge of how our technology can help solve our Middle East partners’ greatest security challenges,” said Richard H. (Rick) Edwards, Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin International. “I am confident that under Bob’s leadership we will continue to drive our Middle East business forward and help strengthen global security.”
Harward previously served as the company’s Chief Executive for the United Arab Emirates. A lifelong national security leader, he served on the National Security Council for the Bush Administration, commissioned the National Counter Terrorism Center, and has extensive combat and counterterrorism experience as a United States Navy SEAL. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin in 2014, he was a Vice Admiral (SEAL) in the United States Navy.
More good news for Fort Worth.
Complete with NSA-controlled kill switch....just in case.
I want one...Id be the envy of the county here in northern Idaho if I had one in my front yard. Even that redneck with the tank down the road would be jealous.
Ordinary Americans who paid the bill to have F-16s designed and built in the 70’s aren’t allowed to buy them.
Vile, tyrannical, barbaric 7th century throwback Muslim tribal leaders are of course allowed to own them and use them with impunity.
As our overlords tell us, “get used to being a prole”.
JMHO, but everyone in Sandpoint should be able to buy one if he wants it.
Are they the good ones?
yep...Im 40+ miles north east of Sandpoint. I would settle for a A4 sky hawk.
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Especially boating across the water at night to the restaurant. Beyond fun.
An old A4 Sky Hawk you can buy: there's at least 5 of them that I know of. The Navy doesn't break the bulkhead aft of the cockpit like the AF does to the T-38, for example. That's how Chuck Thornton got his T-38s: fished the first one out of bone yard in Pensacola because the Navy didn't know the AF did that. They just junked out a wreck, didn't de-mil it the way the USAF wanted.
But the larger question is this: how come the people who refer to themselves as "the government" can tell us no, you can't own a supersonic airplane even if you have the cash, but then turn around and say "Cool! Yer a dictator, a murderer and a human rights oppressor? Great! We'll sell ya anything ya want - F-18s, F-16's, F-15's, missiles, bombs, electric machine guns - anything ya want, Mr. OppressorThug!".
Why is that? We're supposed to be happy little peons, content ourselves with putzing around in our bug smashers?
Oddly I thought we were a Free People and had the right to peacefully buy and use anything we want, especially if it's made here. If you want to buy a an F-16 and jet around the countryside doing combat aerobatics you should be able to. There's a surprising number of people who have the cash to do just that. Right now they have to content themselves with buying and flying L-39's.
We got the Greatest President of the last 150 years in office now. Maybe he will let freedom ring. After all, dude has a beautiful 757 of his own: he feels the way we do.
I say to Hell with Tannerite. Gimme a M29 Davy Crockett with some M388 279 mm super-caliber atomic projectiles loaded with the W54-2 warhead. That'll light up the Fourth!
Best damn MRF airframe ever.
Bang for the buck it will NEVER be bested.
What was it Reagan said when asked if the 2nd amendment means we can have our own nuclear arms?
He said, well, sure...a small nuke.
PS Luv Hayden Lake...have all the RE prices gone through the roof what with all the LA refugees flooding up there?!
Yep, prices through the roof. We couldn’t afford lakefront here, but it’s still spectacular. I confess...I’m a NorCal refugee, not a SoCal one. Lots of SoCal firefighters and lawmen here. But I count myself as a “native” - we bought about a mile from where my grandparents lived and I’ve been coming here since the late 50s! Mom was born in Sandpoint and grew up in little Potlatch.
F16 is the most cost effective modern jet fighter, it is just so well balanced.
They might be making these for 50 more years.
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