Bahrain's F-16 Fighter Jet Procurement From The Us

Bahrain is set to buy 16 F-16 Block 70 jets from the US for $1.12 billion. The deal was first approved by the US State Department in 2016 but was delayed over human rights concerns. The sale was eventually approved in 2017 when President Donald Trump dropped the human rights conditions. The F-16 Block 70 is the latest variant of the fourth-generation, multirole fighter, and Bahrain will be the first country to procure it.

The F-16 Block 70 is the newest variant of the F-16

The F-16 Block 70 is equipped with Northrop Grumman’s advanced AN/APG-83 AESA radar, which provides fifth-generation fighter radar capabilities by leveraging hardware and software commonality with F-22 and F-35 AESA radars. The AESA radar delivers greater situational awareness, flexibility, and quicker all-weather targeting, and provides pilots with unprecedented target area detail and digital map displays that can be tailored with slew and zoom features.

The Block 70 also features a new, high-resolution Center Pedestal Display (CPD) in the cockpit, which provides critical tactical imagery to pilots and allows them to take full advantage of AESA and targeting pod data. The CPD enables colour moving maps, larger and easier-to-manage air-to-air Situation Displays, zoom functionality, the ability to switch information among displays, and a digital display of Flight Instrument Data.

The F-16 Block 70 has unmatched weapon integration. With over 36 years of weapon integration experience with the F-16, Lockheed Martin has enabled it to be one of the most versatile multirole fighters ever. In concert with the U.S. Air Force and multiple F-16 Foreign Military Sales customers, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3,300 carriage and release configurations for greater than 180 weapon and store types.

The F-16 Block 70 has an industry-leading extended structural life of 12,000 hours, which is more than 50% beyond that of previous production F-16 aircraft. This means a highly reliable, readily maintainable jet with at least 40 years of service life for most air forces, with no expected extended structural repairs throughout that entire lifetime.

In May 2021, the U.S. Air Force awarded a $14 billion contract to Lockheed Martin to build 128 Block 70/72 F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets on behalf of Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, Morocco, and Jordan through 2026.

Bahrain is buying 16 F-16 Block 70 jets

The F-16 Block 70 is the latest variant of the fourth-generation, multirole fighter jet. It features advanced avionics, an active electronically scanned array radar, advanced weapons, conformal fuel tanks, and an automatic ground collision avoidance system. The cockpit has been upgraded, and the jet has an advanced engine and an extended structural service life of 12,000 hours.

The Royal Bahraini Air Force already operates a fleet of F-16s, which have been its main combat aircraft since 1989. Bahrain was the first country in the Gulf to use the F-16 and has since expanded its fleet through additional purchases. The new jets will supplement the existing fleet of 20 Block 40 F-16C/D aircraft, which have been in service since the early 1990s.

The sale of the F-16 Block 70 jets to Bahrain was initially approved by the US State Department in 2016 during the Obama administration but was delayed over human rights concerns. President Donald Trump later dropped these conditions, and the sale was finalized in October 2017. The first planes were expected to be delivered in 2021, with the contract completion date set for September 30, 2023.

The deal is worth $1.12 billion

The deal between Lockheed Martin and the Royal Bahraini Air Force is worth $1.12 billion. The contract will see the production of 16 F-16 Viper Block 70 fighter jets, with an expected completion date of September 30, 2023. This deal is significant as it will be the first F-16 Block 70 production program, taking place in Greenville, South Carolina.

Lockheed Martin's contract with Bahrain is expected to generate between 150 and 200 new jobs. The company's vice president of the F-16 program, Susan Ouzts, highlighted the growing global demand for new production F-16s. This deal is especially important for Lockheed Martin as it will keep their F-16 production line open for the next three to five years.

The F-16 Block 70 is the latest variant of the fourth-generation, multirole fighter jet. It features advanced avionics, an upgraded cockpit, an advanced engine, and an extended structural service life of 12,000 hours. The Block 70 also includes an active electronically scanned array radar, which provides greater situational awareness, flexibility, and quicker all-weather targeting.

The Royal Bahraini Air Force has a long history with the F-16, becoming the first country in the Gulf to acquire and operate the aircraft in the late 1980s. Bahrain has been a key partner in the development and operation of the F-16, and this deal further strengthens the relationship between the country and Lockheed Martin.

The F-16 Block 70 jets will provide the Royal Bahraini Air Force with enhanced capabilities and ensure they remain competitive with other air forces in the region.

The jets will be produced in Greenville, South Carolina

The Royal Bahraini Air Force is buying 16 new F-16 Block 70 jets from the US government for $1.12 billion. This deal was first approved by the US State Department in 2016 during the Obama administration but was delayed over human rights concerns. President Donald Trump dropped these conditions, and the sale was finalised in October 2017.

Susan Ouzts, vice president of Lockheed Martin's F-16 programme, said: "We value our long-standing relationship with the Kingdom of Bahrain and look forward to beginning production activities on their first Block 70 aircraft at our facility in Greenville. This sale highlights the significant, growing demand we see for new production F-16s around the globe."

The F-16 Block 70 is the latest variant of the fourth-generation, multirole fighter. It features advanced technology and software, including the AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned array radar, which delivers greater situational awareness, flexibility, and quicker all-weather targeting. The radar also offers digital map displays with slew and zoom features. The Block 70 combines capability upgrades such as avionics architecture and structural upgrades, extending the life of the aircraft by more than 50% beyond that of previous F-16s.

The F-16 Block 70 jets will be the first of their kind to be delivered from the new Greenville production line, with deliveries expected to start in 2020.

Bahrain was the first Gulf country to use the F-16

Bahrain is set to buy 16 new F-16 Block 70 jets from the US for $1.12 billion. This purchase will allow Bahrain to keep pace with other regional competitors such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as deals for fighter jets in the Middle East are expected to reach $22 billion over the next decade.

Bahrain ordered a total of 22 F-16s through two Foreign Military Sales programs. The country considered the F-15, F-16, F-18, the British Tornado, the French Mirage 2000, and Russian aircraft for its air defence fighter requirement. The F-16 was chosen due to its maintainability, reliability, and upgrade potential.

The first four F-16s were sent to Bahrain, flown by Bahraini pilots, in May 1990. These jets were based at Isa Air Base, which was constructed around the same time. Bahraini F-16s were used in the Gulf War, carrying out air strikes against Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm.

In the early 2010s, Bahrain decided to replace its older F-5E and F-5F fighters with more modern planes and to modernise its existing F-16 fleet. In 2018, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to produce 16 F-16 Viper Block 70 fighter jets for the country.

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