Lockheed Martin prepares first F-16 Block 70 fighters for Bahrain
Bahrain is under contract for the Block 70s under a $1.12 billion deal for 16 aircraft. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
The delivery of the latest configuration of the F-16 Fighter jet will strengthen US-Bahrain ties, will significantly enhance the Gulf country's air capabilities and has the potential to further increase demand for the jet in the region.
Lockheed Martin delivered the first F-16 Block 70 aircraft for the Royal Bahraini Air Force during an official ceremony in Greenville, South Carolina.
However, the jet still awaits additional flight tests in the US and will only land in Bahrain in 2024 with the full order arriving by 2025.
Bahrain is under contract for the Block 70s under a $1.12 billion deal for 16 aircraft.
The country was the first F-16 operator in the Gulf Cooperation Council beginning in the early 1990s and is the first customer to procure what Lockheed Martin called the ‘newest and most advanced F-16 production
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Air Warfare
-
![Germany acquires additional 20 H145M helicopters]()
Germany acquires additional 20 H145M helicopters
The order for the extra helicopters comes from an agreement penned in December 2023, with the German Army receiving the bulk of the platforms.
-
![Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace collaborate on British Army ACP bid]()
Anduril UK and GKN Aerospace collaborate on British Army ACP bid
The pair will submit their demonstrator concept for Project Nyx, a development project for the British Army’s Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform.
-
![US Army command’s Picatinny CLIK common lethal drone interface makes progress]()
US Army command’s Picatinny CLIK common lethal drone interface makes progress
The Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit is designed to overcome the issue of unique integration methods between lethal payloads and drones as well as avoiding problematic acquisition conditions created by vendor lock.
-
![Australia invests extra A$1.4 billion in MQ-28A Ghost Bat after successful missile fire test]()
Australia invests extra A$1.4 billion in MQ-28A Ghost Bat after successful missile fire test
The investment includes new contracts for six MQ-28A Ghost Bat aircraft, as well as provisional funds to invest in the development of a Block 3 prototype.
-
![Northrop Grumman to fly new Project Talon CCA by late 2026]()
Northrop Grumman to fly new Project Talon CCA by late 2026
The newly unveiled collaborative combat aircraft looks to strike a balance between capability and cost-effectiveness, according to the company.
