The Lockheed Martin's new F-16 block 70 fighting falcon has F-22 and F-35
stealth fighter DNA. At the core of the F-16 block 70 is the northrop
grumman APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar which is based on
technology leveraged from the F-22 Raptor in the F-35.
Lockheed Martin has received a massive 1.12 billion dollars contract from
the US government to produce 16 advanced F-16 block 70 fighting falcons for
bahrain. the undefinitized contract action award means that the royal
bahraini air force will become the first operator of the most advanced and
capable version of F-16 ever design with production of Lockheed Martin's
stealthy new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter ramping up.
While fighting falcon production is ramping down, the company was compelled
to move the F-16 line to a smaller plant that could handle lower volumes.
Moreover unlike previous versions of the F-16 which were built in fort worth
texas these new vipers are to be manufactured in greenville South Carolina.
Nonetheless the move represents a new beginning for the F-16 which is still
expected to generate strong sales over the coming years.
Vice President of Lockheed Martin's F-16 program said "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."
He added and this sale highlights the significant growing demand we see for
new production F-16s around the globe.
Lockheed Martin has invested significantly in the new south carolina F-16
plant. The company expects that F-16 production at the site will create
somewhere between 150 and 200 new jobs in Greenville.
The company also notes that F-16 production supports hundreds of US-based
Lockheed Martin engineering, procurement, sustainment and customer support
jobs and thousands of US supplier jobs. Indeed 450 US suppliers in 42 states
currently support the F-16 supply chain.
Lockheed Martin has good reason to be optimistic about securing further F-16
sales. The block 70 version of the venerable F-16 is a capable warplane by
any measure and draws much of its technology from its more advanced F-35
stealth fighter stablemate. but while the F-35 is a much more advanced and
capable warplane than any version of the F-16.
Not every country needs a joint strike fighter or is even cleared to receive
the stealth fighter. in those situations, the F-16 block 70 might be the
most capable fighter aircraft available to those u.s allies.
The Northrop Grumman APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar which
is based on technology leveraged from the F-35 and the F-22 and can track
more than 20 targets simultaneously.
The radar can also generate one foot resolution synthetic aperture radar
maps and has a range greater than 160 nautical miles against ground targets.
The F-16 jet also has a new state of the art electronic warfare system. The
block 70 jet features a modernized cockpit with a new center pedestal
display that provides tactical imagery on a high resolution 6 inches by
eight inches screen.
The new display will allow pilots to take full advantage of the F-16 block
70's new sensors. The cockpit also has provisions for the joint helmet
mounted cueing system to display, which lets pilot take full advantage of
the raytheon AIM-9X sidewinder and further a new automatic ground collision
avoidance system helps to prevent pilots from crashing the aircraft.
Now the F-16V has an upgraded airframe with an extended structural service
life of 12,000 hours even can carry conformal fuel tanks.
To push the aircraft around the sky, lockheed martin says that the new block
70 jet features an advanced engine. While Lockheed Martin did not specify
which engine given the block 70 designation, the aircraft will most likely
be powered by a general electric F-110 GE-132, rated at 32,500 lbf 144
kilonewtons of afterburning thrust.
Now, Lockheed Martin also boasts about the F-16V's capability to carry a
vast arsenal of weapons. lockheed martin has more than 36 years of weapon
integration experience with the F-16, the company states.
Meanwhile no other organization can match this weapons integration
experience. In concert with the us air force and multiple F-16 foreign
military sales customers, Lockheed Martin company has certified more than 3
300 carriage and release configurations for greater than 180 weapon and
store types.
The Lockheed Martin company added, our experience as a weapon integrator has
enabled the F-16 to be one of the most versatile multirole fighters ever.
The F-16 will still be flying for decades to come, meanwhile there are still
three thousand operational F-16s are flying around the world with more than
25 different air forces.
At least jets will have to be upgraded to the block 70 standard as time goes
on. the future is still bright for the F-16.
