Jordan to order F-16 Block 70s after signing LoA
Jordan is set to become a F-16 Block 70 operator. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Jordan and Lockheed Martin have agreed to a F-16 Block 70 order.
Jordan has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) for Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 (F-16V) fighter jet aircraft.
In a 16 June statement, the manufacturer said that the new aircraft are to be built in Greenville South Carolina.
‘The selection of new-production F-16 aircraft extends Jordan’s existing fleet of F-16s, bringing advanced capabilities to the mission combined with affordable operating and lifecycle costs,’ added Lockheed.
The LOA follows Jordan receiving FMS approval from the US State Department to buy 12 F-16 C Block 70, four F-16 D Block 70 platforms and associated equipment on 3 February, in a package estimated at $4.21 billion.
Among various changes to the Block 70 configuration are advanced avionics; an APG-83 AESA radar; a modernised cockpit; conformal fuel tanks; an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System; and extended structural service life of 12,000h, according to Shephard Defence Insight.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Pentagon’s 800% PAC-3 MSE surge faces production bottleneck as Patriot demand soars]()
Pentagon’s 800% PAC-3 MSE surge faces production bottleneck as Patriot demand soars
The Pentagon wants to procure 3,203 PAC-3 MSE interceptors in FY2027, but production constraints and international demand could impact efforts to rebuild depleted missile stocks.
-
![AIM-260 JATM deal puts Australia’s missile-industrial ambitions in focus]()
AIM-260 JATM deal puts Australia’s missile-industrial ambitions in focus
While a potentially accelerated acquisition timeline could strengthen the RAAF’s long-range air combat capability, Canberra’s continued reliance on US missile production is also put under the spotlight in parallel to its push to build a sovereign industry.
-
![Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?]()
Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?
Demand signals for counter-drone technology are strong and the market is becoming crowded, but is this really the beginning of a new phase of warfare or will commentators be talking about something else 10 years from now?
