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Egypt signs agreement for 24 more F-16s

June 2, 1999 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The Government of Egypt signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) for 24 more F-16 aircraft on June 3, 1999. The total estimated value of the program is approximately $1 billion.
This includes the aircraft, mission equipment, support equipment, spare parts, training, facilities upgrades and other associated items. The value to Lockheed Martin is approximately $400 million.

The aircraft will be block 40 F-16C/Ds, the same version as the last three orders from Egypt. This commonality provides advantages in logistics, training and facility costs. The mix will be 12 single-seat F-16Cs and 12 two-seat F-16Ds. The new aircraft will include an advanced identification friend or foe (AIFF) set, AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile capability, the ALR-56M radar warning receiver and the ALE-47 chaff/flare dispenser.

The AIFF and Harpoon capability will also be retrofit on all existing Egyptian Block 40 F-16s. Production deliveries will begin in early 2001 and continue for about 15 months. This will be the sixth time Egypt has ordered F-16s. Deliveries for the fifth order began in May, one month ahead of schedule. When finalized, the Egyptian order will be the 40th repeat purchase of new F-16s by 14 countries. In addition, four countries have acquired F-16s from the U.S. Air Force inventory.