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Considering the fact that the Egyptian military has just aligned themselves with President Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, this is a stupid, stupid, move. Fox News: ******** Instability in Egypt, where a newly-elected Islamic government teeters over an angry population, isn't enough to stop the U.S. from sending more than 20 F-16 fighter jets, as part of a $1 billion foreign aid package. The first four jets are to be delivered to Egypt beginning Jan. 22, a source at the naval air base in Fort Worth, where the planes have been undergoing testing, told FoxNews.com. The North African nation already...

Israel's military police are investigating the theft of F-16 fighter plane engines from an military base in central Israel, with the military suspecting that the thieves had inside help. The F-16C/D 'Barak' jets were undergoing repairs. The base commander contacted the military police after discovering the engines missing. There were no details how many engines or engine parts were stolen but the radio report said the estimated worth is the millions of dollars. The thieves seems to have been assisted by someone within the base. Among other things, there is the fact that there was no damage to the base's...

FORT WORTH, Texas — For nearly four decades, the F-16 has ruled the skies in the international market for fighter jet sales, a money-making flying machine for Lockheed Martin and its predecessor, General Dynamics. Now a number of nations are planning to spend billions to upgrade their fleets of older F-16s with modern “avionics,” digital electronic controls, communications and combat systems. Lockheed has the inside track to cash in on that business, but faces potentially strong competition. The announcement last week that the U.S. government had awarded Lockheed a $1.85 billion contract to upgrade Taiwan’s 145 F-16s is the first...

Lockheed Martin hopes to cash in by upgrading F-16s By Bob Cox rcox@star-telegram.com For nearly four decades, the F-16 has ruled the skies in the international market for fighter jet sales, a money-making flying machine for Lockheed Martin and its predecessor, General Dynamics. Now a number of nations are planning to spend billions to upgrade their fleets of older F-16s with modern "avionics," digital electronic controls, communications and combat systems. Lockheed has the inside track to cash in on that business, but faces potentially strong competition. The announcement last week that the U.S. government had awarded Lockheed a $1.85 billion...

FAIRBANKS — Alaska's senior U.S. Senator accused the Air Force Wednesday of taking steps to break the service's commitment to delay for one year any plan to move Eielson's F-16s out of the Interior. In a letter sent to new Pacific Air Force Commander Gen. Herbert Carlisle, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said a U.S. Air Force contractor has been discussing plans to do an environmental assessment required for the F-16 transfer. “I write today to express my concern about some disturbing news suggesting that contrary to commitments that senior leaders have made to the Alaska congressional delegation and congressional defense...

July 22, 2012 (by Asif Shamim) - An F-16C crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of northern Japan today. The pilot ejected and was rescued according to the Japanese Coast Guard some six hours after the aircraft went down. The jet from the 35th Fighter Wing, took off from Misawa air base in Aomori and crashed about 11.30hr Japan time (02.30 GMT) some 200 miles North-East of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island, the spokesperson said. "One person, the pilot, was on board. Efforts are currently underway to retrieve the pilot," she said, reading from a statement. Reuters have gone...

urkey has scrambled six F-16 fighter jets near its border with Syria after Syrian helicopters came close to the border, the country's army says. Six jets were sent to the area in response to three such incidents on Saturday, the statement said, adding that there was no violation of Turkish airspace. Last month, Syrian forces shot down a Turkish jet in the border area. The incident further strained already tense relations between former allies. Turkey's government has been outspoken in its condemnation of Syria's response to the 16-month anti-government uprising, which has seen more than 30,000 Syrian refugees enter Turkey....

France Eyes Sale of Missiles for U.S.-Made F-16 Fighters -Report France's military procurement agency DGA is considering authorizing the sale by Sagem, a unit of French aerospace supplier Safran SA (SAF.FR), of its AASM air-to-ground missiles to equip the F-16 fighter made by Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) of the U.S., reports Les Echos, citing unnamed sources. It says the proposal is unlikely to please Dassault Aviation (AM.FR) which makes the Rafale multi-role combat aircraft that competes with the F-16. Sagem sells the AASM to foreign buyers in cooperation with MBDA, a missile maker whose shareholders include European Aeronautic Defence &...

Why is the US considering F-16 sales to Taiwan? Political shifts in China, Taiwan, and the US have revived the prospect of a US F-16 deal with Taiwan. Taipei, Taiwan In September, the United States politely told Taiwan it would not sell its late-model F-16 fighter jets to help Taiwan keep up with the military might of China. Taiwan was disappointed. China's response was low key. his month, however, the White House said the sale deserved “serious consideration.” This announcement comes despite the fact that China sees any sale of the F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan as a red line...

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers has voted to go on strike against Lockheed Martin. The decision to decline the latest contract offer from the giant defense contractor came at a meeting of union members at Fort Worth's Cowtown Coliseum Sunday afternoon.

Israel is increasingly concerned with the military build-up in Iraq amid intelligence reports that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is solidifying its presence in the country, according to a senior IDF officer. Of particular concern is the Pentagon’s approval in late 2011 of the sale of 36 F- 16 multi-role combat aircraft to Iraq. The planes will be built by Lockheed Martin in the US and are Block 52 F-16s, meaning that they are of the same configuration as Israel’s F-16Is, called Sufa (Storm). “We are carefully watching the developments in Iraq,” the IDF officer said. “The possible developments...

In late 1969, a conspiracy was hatched in secret all-night meetings in Washington, D.C. area hotel rooms that would have a profound impact on military aviation and Fort Worth. A handful of people were at the meetings: two rebel Air Force colonels, a Pentagon analyst and a General Dynamics engineer. Their goal was to create a fighter jet -- a relatively simple, inexpensive plane that could be sold by the hundreds. Fortunately, the conspirators succeeded, probably beyond any of their wildest dreams. On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin will celebrate delivery of the 4,500th F-16, the direct result of those late-night meetings....

In late 1969, a conspiracy was hatched in secret all-night meetings in Washington, D.C.-area hotel rooms that would have a profound impact on military aviation and Fort Worth. A handful of people were at the meetings: two rebel Air Force colonels, a Pentagon analyst and a General Dynamics engineer. Their goal was to create a fighter jet -- a relatively simple, inexpensive plane that could be sold by the hundreds. Fortunately, the conspirators succeeded, probably beyond any of their wildest dreams. On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin will celebrate delivery of the 4,500th F-16, the direct result of those late-night meetings. It's...

Lockheed Martin to celebrate delivery of 4,500th F-16 In late 1969, a conspiracy was hatched in secret all-night meetings in Washington, D.C.-area hotel rooms that would have a profound impact on military aviation and Fort Worth. A handful of people were at the meetings: two rebel Air Force colonels, a Pentagon analyst and a General Dynamics engineer. Their goal was to create a fighter jet -- a relatively simple, inexpensive plane that could be sold by the hundreds. Fortunately, the conspirators succeeded, probably beyond any of their wildest dreams. On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin will celebrate delivery of the 4,500th F-16,...

Iraq is acquiring an array of missiles and other sophisticated systems for the 36 Lockheed Martin F-16s it's buying to build an air force but Washington is reluctant to provide Baghdad with the most advanced U.S. weapons. U.S. officials say they are worried that a strong Iraqi air force with offensive weapons systems would alarm Iraq's neighbors. Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980 and Kuwait a decade later. Even nine years after Saddam was toppled in the 2003 U.S. invasion, Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Muslim allies in the Persian Gulf remain deeply suspicious of Shiite-majority Iraq and its Shiite...

Airbus completes qualification of Mirage 2000 and F-16 for UAE in flight refuelling Posted 26 March 2012 · Add Comment Airbus Military has successfully completed receiver qualification of the two primary aircraft-types that the UAE Air Force will refuel from the three A330 MRTT multi role tanker transports that it currently has on order. In an extensive series of flight tests in Abu Dhabi, the compatibility of the new generation A330 MRTT with UAE Air Force Mirage 2000 and F-16 Block 60 fighters was fully demonstrated. Operating from Al Dhafra airbase, the aircraft performed air-to-air refuelling at speeds throughout the...

For the third time in the last six months the Israeli Air Force has hosted foreign fighter pilots for tactical training. Israeli fighter pilots are considered the best trained in the world, and Israel maintains a special training program, complete with pilots trained and equipped to operate as likely foes would, to train their own pilots. The latest nation to send fighters and pilots for training is Poland, flying F-16s in for that purpose. Previously, Italy had sent Typhoons and Tornados and Greece F-16s. The Israeli training center is based on the one pioneered by the U.S. Air Force Red...

Polish fighter jets arrived in Israel this week for joint training with the Israel Air Force in the Negev. The Polish dispatched a number of F-16 fighter jets which have been holding maneuvers alongside IAF F-16 and F-15s. The maneuvers are based in the Uvda Air Force Base near Eilat. "We learn from one another and it helps us learn from the Poles, how they fly and their doctrines," a senior IAF officer said Wednesday. Gen. Broni Lech Majewski, commander of the Polish Air Force, arrived in Israel on Monday to oversee the drill. This is the first time that...

Show of force: Hundreds of fighter jets paraded in South Korea as US displays its military might Kim Jong-un, take note. After the North Korean leader made his first visit to the tense demilitarised border and Pyongyang agreed to freeze its nuclear weapons programme, United States and Republic of Korea aircraft joined forces in this huge display of F-16 Fighting Falcons. As these pictures from Kunsan Air Base show, hundreds of the jet fighters stretched as far as the eye could see. Formidable: Row after row of F-16 Fighting Falcons fills the airstrip in a show of force at Kunsan...

Brigadier Ali Khan, currently facing court martial for alleged links with the banned Hizbut Tahrir, had conspired with an air force pilot to bomb the General Headquarters with an F-16 jet during a conference of the corps commanders, reported BBC on Thursday. Brig Ali Khan was arrested last year on suspicion of having contacts with the Hizbut Tahrir. He has been accused of trying to stage a rebellion against the government and planning an attack on the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. His family has denied the charges. Major Suhail Akbar, a prosecution witness, said in his statement that Khan and...