Lockheed Martin has received its first F-16 from the US Air Force as part of the $900 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide sustainment support and depot-overflow services for F-16 aircraft.
The F-16 arrived at the Lockheed Martin facility in Greenville, South Carolina from Edwards Air Force Base, California on March 9, 2021 and has now been inducted to begin work.
Mike Fox, Lockheed Martin Greenville site director, said: “The arrival of this first jet marks the beginning of fighter Sustainment work at the site and positions Greenville as an F-16 Center of Excellence, supporting both F-16 production and sustainment operations.”
The IDIQ contract also establishes the first ever US-based F-16 industry depot to support government-owned depot facilities and includes depot-level maintenance activities, predefined programmatic work, aircraft modification and unplanned drop-in maintenance.
As the F-16 Fighting Falcon’s Original Equipment Manufacturer, Lockheed Martin is uniquely positioned to provide the most comprehensive knowledge of the aircraft and tailored sustainment solutions to optimize the F-16 fleet for greater capability, readiness and performance.
Danya Trent, Vice President of Lockheed Martin F-16 Program, said: “We are excited for this opportunity to expand our partnership with the U.S. Air Force and ensure the continued readiness and capability of the F-16 fleet.
“Our team of F-16 experts in Greenville are ready and prepared to meet our customer’s most challenging problems, partnering between Production and Sustainment operations, giving full life cycle coverage for the F-16.”
The F-16 Fighting Falcon offers advanced interoperable capabilities that enhance partnerships with allies across the world. It has been proving its effectiveness for decades and continues to remain the best value among 4th generation jets for its capabilities and affordable lifecycle costs. To date, a total of 4,588 F-16s have been produced and are currently operated by 25 countries.
image courtesy of Lockheed Martin
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Post written by: Matt Brown
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