Aircraft
Plenty of life is left for exported F-16
Lockheed Martin may be focusing a large proportion of its promotional efforts on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but the company insists there is still a lo

Lockheed Martin may be focusing a large proportion of its promotional efforts on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but the company insists there is still a lot of life left in the F-16 and that production could continue alongside that of the F-35 for some years. Meanwhile, the company has outlined a sustainment and supportability plan that projects to at least 2040.

In what has been the world’s largest international industrial program, Lockheed Martin and its partners have delivered more than 4,400 F-16s in 132 distinct variants. The F-16 is the backbone of U.S. airpower and the type has flown 57 percent of the operational sorties in the Central Command theater. The customer base spans 25 nations, and 14 among them have notched up 53 follow-on buys. The worldwide fleet has racked up more than 14 million flying hours.

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