First pair of upgraded F-16s due on Monday
In what is considered another milestone in the process of strengthening the Hellenic Air Force’s capabilities, the first two fully upgraded F-16 Block 72 Viper jets out of a total of 83 will arrive at the Hellenic Aerospace Industry site in Tanagra on Monday from the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
The first two F-16 Viper aircraft will serve as the Hellenic Air Force’s pilot training aircraft, while at the same time efforts are under way for the delivery of at least six more aircraft of this type within 2022.
The installation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is among the significant technical components of the F-16 Viper upgrade, as it will make 83 aircraft fully interoperable with F-35s – whenever they are added to the air force’s arsenal, within eight to 10 years. Moreover it will also ensure full interoperability with naval surface units, in particular the French FDI frigates, which are already being built in Lorient, France.
The upgraded F-16 Viper also features a powerful processor and larger displays affording pilots a clearer and wider perception of what is happening in the field, enabling faster and more effective decisions. The Viper is also given the potential to incorporate more accurate weapons through the fitting of the appropriate systems.
Apart from the addition of the 83 Vipers, the next step is the upgrade of 38 F-16 Block 50s, which will take place at the Nea Anchialos Air Base facility in Magnesia. This involves the installation of systems that will be removed from the upgraded F-16 Vipers and installed in the Block 50s. The upgrade of the 38 F-16 Block 50s will begin in the coming months. The letter of request (LOR) on the part of the Hellenic Air Force has already been drafted and is expected to be forwarded by the Defense Ministry to the US in the coming days.
