Maj. Edward Linch and Capt. Brian Wolf are the winners of the 2003 Joe Bill Dryden Semper Viper Award. The two Block 30 F-16 pilots won the award for their distinguished service during a mission over western Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Automatic Air Collision Avoidance System test team recently received the Tony LeVier Flight Test Safety Award for their exceptional contribution to flight test safety during 2003.

Although many Indian and Pakistani newspapers claim that the Pentagon has agreed to refurbish Pakistan's depleted fleet of F-16s and allow Belgium to sell two squadrons of the aircraft to Pakistan, , the head of the Pentagon's foreign military sales (FMS) program recently said that there are still no plans in that direction.

In a bid to win the Czech Republic's new competition for upgraded fighters, the Defense Department last week notified Congress of its offer to sell the new NATO country 12 older model F-16 aircraft in a deal that could be worth as much as $650 million.

Today, Singapore sent a clear signal to Lockheed Martin that it was not prepared to tie itself to one supplier of fighter aircraft when it excluded the US defence contractor from a key competition.

The five F-16s of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds team flew for about a half-hour Wednesday at Ellsworth Air Force Base to gain recertification after a Sept. 14 accident.

A lot of rumors have been spread the last weeks about a new round of Belgian defence cuts. Although not officially confirmed by the government yet, the 'Financieel Economische Tijd' published an article on its frontpage today that indicate that the rumors of the past few weeks have been close to the truth.

Leaders of the 21 member countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum will meet in the Thai capital on October 20-21, prompting Thailand's biggest ever security operation.

Last Sunday, Lt. Col. Greg Brewer took his final flight at Buckley Air Force Base, marking his retirement from the Colorado Air National Guard's 120th Fighter Squadron. After touching down there was a little fun, and celebration for the 1979 Air Force Academy graduate.

On 2 October 2003, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Czech Republic of F-16 A/B Block 10/15 Aircraft as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $650 million.

Brazil announced this week that it plans to replace at least 12 ageing Mirage fighter jets, in what is believed to be Latin America's largest military hardware purchase since the end of the Cold War.

Jordan, which allowed the United States to base special forces in its eastern desert during the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, is asking the Pentagon to provide about $100 million worth of upgrades to its F-16 fighter jets and AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters.

The Belgian government has offered 14 F-16 MLUs (12 F-16AM, 2 F-16BM) with logistical support and equipment for sale to the Czech republic.

The Bush administration asked the U.S. Congress Thursday to approve a $550 million, 12-year loan to the Czech Republic that would enable them to buy 14 used F-16s.

Lockheed Martin recently conducted a number of successful flight tests of its Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pod on F-15E and F-16 fighters. During the battery of tests, the targeting pod's availability was rated at 100 percent and each mission successfully completed its objectives. Testing was conducted at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Edwards AFB, Eglin AFB and the Air Force Reserve Test Center in Tucson, AZ.