Scott Nicholas
Bahrain has inked agreement to acquire Lockheed Martin-built F-16 units which will continue the fighter aircraft’s production line, Defense News reported Saturday.
The report noted the agreement will maintain the production line of the Falcon aircraft and make Bahrain the first nation in the Gulf region to operate the F-16 Block 70 aircraft.
F-16 Block 70 Fighting Falcon aircraft features an AN/APG-83 active electronically-scanned array radar along with avionics architecture and structural updates that extend the aircraft lifespan.
“Lockheed sees multiple opportunities totaling approximately 200 aircraft in Central Europe, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and South America,” said Rick Groesch, regional vice president of international business development at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
The State Department approved a request from Bahrain to purchase F-16 aircraft along with upgrade services, TOW missiles and patrol boats in September as part of four foreign military sales deals valued at nearly $4 billion combined.
