Lockheed Martin Aeronautics said Thursday it has received a $1.3 billion contract to assemble 52 F-16 aircraft for Israel.

The Foreign Military Sales contract for Israel officially exercises the option for 52 additional F-16I aircraft under the Peace Marble V program. Lockheed Martin's contract value for the option is $1.3 billion out of a total program value of about $2 billion.

Defense and industry officials here are hailing a Pentagon decision to allow the integration of Israeli electronic warfare (EW) systems on U.S.-built F-16s, perhaps the first time Washington has allowed non-U.S. EW equipment aboard American fighters.

Although the U.S. decision pertains specifically to F-16 fighters destined for the Greek Air Force and carries strict caveats regarding technology transfer, Israeli officials here say it may portend unprecedented U.S.-Israeli defense industrial cooperation for the export market, perhaps even paving the way to building a hybrid fighter.

Saudi Arabia has increased efforts to train its air force pilots. The Saudi effort now includes training on the F-16s. The kingdom does not possess an F-16 fleet but is considering purchasing the multi-role jet.

The United States is supporting the Saudi training effort. The Bush administration has approved the sale of a training system for the Saudi air force's Arabian Kadena Interim Training System Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Program.

The Pentagon has awarded a $19.1 million contract to Cubic Defense Systems Corp., based in San Diego, Calif. The contract is expected to be concluded in May 2005.

Saudi officials said Riyad is considering the F-16 as well as the British Tornado jet to replace the air force's fleet of aging F-5 fighter-jets. Officials said they don't expect an imminent procurement decision.

Lockheed Martin Training is demonstrating its four-ship F-16 Training System at the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference in Orlando this week. F-16 pilots will fly multiple types of missions through a visual database that displays imagery at up to one-half meter resolution.

The US military deployment following the attacks on New Your and Washington will not affect the purchase of 10 Lockheed F-16 combat airplanes by the Chilean Air Force (FACh).

Lockheed Martin Training is demonstrating its four-ship F-16 Training System at the Interservice/Industry Training Simulation and Education Conference in Orlando this week. F-16 pilots will fly multiple types of missions through a visual database that displays imagery at up to one-half meter resolution.

Yesterday, Peruvian Defense Minister David Waisman affirmed that he will "give away" the state-of-the-art Russian missiles that his country's Air Force has, if Chile will decide to abort the purchase of F-16s.

France has launched a last-minute bid to retain a $190 million project to install electronic warfare systems in Turkey's F-16 fleet.

The Turkish military ordered the cancellation of the initial award for the EW contract to the Paris-based Thales because of U.S. objections. The Pentagon had banned the transfer of software source codes to allow Thales to install its Fast 16 electronic warfare system in some 80 F-16 multi-role jets.

The United States is not considering releasing F-16s to Islamabad despite President Pervez Musharraf had asked to do so, a senior US administration official said on Saturday.

"It is highly unlikely they will ask, and it's not under consideration," the senior US official, who requested anonymity, told reporters hours before Bush and Musharraf were to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly here.-AFP

President Pervez Musharraf said in New York on Friday that he would seek concrete "gestures" from the United States, including release of F-16 fighters to demonstrate its appreciation of Pakistan support in the US campaign against terrorism.

Turkey has succumbed to U.S. pressure and will launch a new tender to install electronic warfare systems on its fleet of F-16s.

The new competition is planned in the wake of Washington's objection to having the Paris-based Thales install electronic countermeasure systems on U.S.-made F-16 aircraft. Thales had won a deal to supply EW systems to 80 F-16s.

Capt. Craig Marion of the 366th Wing, 389th FS of Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, has won the 2001 Semper Viper Award for his actions during an F-16 mission over Afghanistan.

Lockheed Martin has pledged to its Middle East customers that the U.S. F-16 multi-role fighter will be delivered on schedule. Lockheed Martin has signed deals for F-16s to Egypt, Israel, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The number of F-16s exceed 200.

India could also gain from the cancelling of sanctions with the accelerated development of its light combat aircraft.

Political moves are afoot in Washington DC to offer Pakistan the 28 Lockheed Martin F-16A/B fighters originally ordered by the country in 1989, but not delivered because of the U-SA's only recently revoked arms embargo. India is also set to benefit with accelerated development of its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

The Pentagon last night announced it planned to sell 12 F-16 fighter jets, laser-guided bombs and other arms to Oman in a deal worth $1.12bn, as Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, visited the Gulf state yesterday to discuss how the country could help in the campaign to target those guilty of the attacks on September 11.