Lockheed Martin has received its first F-16 from the U.S. Air Force as part of the $900 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract the company received in December 2020 to provide sustainment support and depot-overflow services for F-16 aircraft.
The F-16 arrived at the Lockheed Martin facility in Greenville, S.C., from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on March 9, 2021, and will be inducted today, March 15, to begin work.
“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,” said Mike Fox, Lockheed Martin Greenville site director.
The IDIQ contract also establishes the first ever U.S.-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.
“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,” says Danya Trent, vice president of Lockheed Martin F-16 Program. “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.
DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP
Get Breaking Aerospace News Sent To Your Inbox! We Never Spam
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact