News

Greek defense leaders are meeting February 12th to discuss a $3billion fighter purchase. Proposals on five different aircraft have been tendered, including the F-16 (Block 50 ), F-15, Mirage 2000, SU-27, and the Eurofighter. Greece has indicated that it would purchase 60 new F-16s, 30 F-15s, or a combination of the two. Greek defense council members hope to reach agreement on the 12thon which aircraft to procure.

Norway said on Wednesday it wanted to buy 20 jet fighters and would choose between Eurofighters or U.S. -built F-16s.

Lockheed Martin and Israel Military Industries ink $72 million deal for F-16 fuel tanks.

The F-16 has recently achieved significant milestones in flight safety and maturity. The 18 international air forces flying the F-16 established a new safety record in 1998.

Lockheed Martin recently received a new contract to develop the next major software upgrade for the new Modular Mission Computer (MMC) on F-16s belonging to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the four European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) -- Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

The Netherlands outlined plans on Monday for a far-reaching reform of the armed forces designed to cut billions of guilders in costs and create a flexible force capable of responding to rapidly changing defense needs.

Norway sent six F-16 fighter jets to Italy on Friday for possible NATO air strikes against Yugoslavia over its crackdown in its southern province of Kosovo. They took off around midday and they were flying to Grazzanize base in Italy. Hercules aircraft were also leaving on Friday and Saturday to transport 230 military personnel and equipment. The jets, which were based in Italy last October before Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic made concessions in Kosovo to head off threatened NATO attacks, would be ready for operations from Saturday.

The US Air Force has given General Electric the go ahead to start building the F110-GE-129e for testing. The engine will have initial thrust of 32, 000 (with 50 percent longer life than today's engines), upgradeable to34, 000 and a full rated thrust of 36, 000lbs.

European NATO allies ordered more warplanes to Italy on Thursday to reinforce squadrons from 13 allied countries now on 48-hour standby for possible air strikes at Yugoslav military targets in Kosovo.

Taiwan will become the 10th foreign customer to select Lockheed Martin's LANTIRN nightvision system for its fighter aircraft, under a U.S. Air Force Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program contract potentially worth $106.2 million.

For the first time in many years, a woman will complete the Israel Air Force's pilot course later this week and be assigned to an F-16 squadron.

Hasbro Interactive's ultimate flight simulation game, Falcon 4. 0, from MicroProse is receiving stellar reviews from PC game enthusiasts across the globe.

The 428th Fighter Squadron activated on Nov 12, 1998 at Cannon AFB. The unit is a joint Republic of Singapore and USAF squadron and was formed under the Peace Carvin III program.

The United States will pay Pakistan $326. 9 million in cash and up to $140 million in other compensation to settle an eight-year dispute over F-16 aircraft that Islamabad paid for but never received.

A few days ago, Cdt. "Flip" Heylesonne, an OCU instructor at Kleine Brogel AB, became the second Belgian F-16 pilot (after Cdt. Jean-Marie "Toutou" Toussaint in 92) to reach the 3, 000 flight hours mark.