Rumor goes that the US has informed Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani during his recent visit to the country that it is readying an F-16 fighter deal with Pakistan. This is to consolidate alliances in preparation for strategic moves on Iran and North Korea.

The Indonesian Air Force deployed F-16s to deliver "shock therapy" to separatist rebels in the province of Aceh, sending sonic booms across the province.

The Portuguese MLU program now seems to be on the right track. After some delays caused by some divergences between OGMA and the Portuguese Air Force it seems that the program is now rolling at full speed.

Both Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense and China's foreign ministry denied that four Taiwanese Air Force F-16s have defected to China.

A mainland Chinese military publication, the Extensive Military Report, reports on the second page of its latest edition (to be published today) that four Taiwanese F-16 Block 20 aircraft from the 401st Wing (based at Taoyuan air base) defected to China. The F-16s supposedly landed at an air base in Fujian Province under the escort of eight Chinese Su-27s.

Officials said the Bush administration has approved plans for a second order of the advanced anti-ship missiles to Oman. They said the order is valued at nearly $22 million and is meant to provide the sultanates F-16 fleet with anti-ship capability.

The United States Air Force paid $80 million to Raytheon for the development of a Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) demonstrator. Initially, the decoy will be carried on F-16 and B-52 aircraft.

Lt. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Chief of Staff of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces, and his delegation visited Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant on May 23 to review the status of the UAE F-16 program .

US Embassy officials in Australia denied sounding out the government or defence officials on plans to base US military forces in Australia. Australia has reportedly been informally asked to provide bases for US forces as part of a plan to combat terrorism in South-East Asia, especially Islamist extremists based in Indonesia.

Among ideas being canvassed were the deployment of US F-16 fighters to the Tindal RAAF base in the Northern Territory and a brigade of up to 5,000 US Marines at an Australian army base, The Australian newspaper said.

The U.S. military deployed air-defense missiles and F-16s in Washington for an exercise amid heightened threats of terrorism, as al Qaeda's No. 2 official purportedly issued a message yesterday urging Muslims to kill Americans and Israelis and warning of attacks.

The northern Honshu base's 10,000-foot runway will be closed for $1.3 million in repairs, reopening to air traffic June 23. It will be the runway's third consecutive summertime closure.

A new "passive" weapon without explosives was developed in only 98 days and used in Iraq to destroy some targets while limiting unintended collateral damage to people and structures in populated areas, an Air Force official said Thursday.

Lockheed Martin officials, along with officers from the United States and Italian Air Forces, participated in a rollout ceremony today at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, for the first of 34 F-16 fighter aircraft to be provided to Italy under a program known as "Peace Caesar."

Lockheed Martin plans to add precision guidance to its Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) bomb tail kit, following lessons learned from its use in Afghanistan in 2001. This will give it improved performance, especially in mountainous terrain, according to company officials.

The effectiveness of the F-16 and other aging combat planes during the Iraq war is fanning a debate over the need for new fighter programs that are expected to cost taxpayers more than $300 billion.

Raytheon won a $242 million contract from Greece's air force to provide jamming equipment for F-16 fighter jets. Under the contract, Raytheon will supply the Hellenic Air Force with a new, enhanced version of the "Advanced Self- Protection Integrated Suite," or ASPIS II.