January 25, 1998 (by Lieven Dewitte) -
Lockheed Martin announced that Bahrain has ordered 10 new Block 40 F-16s, to be delivered around 2000.
The Bahraini had been considering either this purchase of new build aircraft, or purchase of 20 refurbished F-16A/B from USAF stock. The also briefly considered a batch of former USN F-16Ns.
The decision to buy new apparently was due to commonality with Bahrain's other 12 Block 40s, the overall cost, and life cycle predictions. The new Block 40s will join 21 other Block 40s to be built for Egypt in the 1999-2000 time period.
Regular production of the Block 40 model stopped in 1995, having been supplanted by Block 50 and beyond.
