Turkey has decided to increase its Popeye precision-guided, long-range missile order from Israel from 100 to 200. The missiles can becarried by both Turkish F-16s and upgradedF-4s.
Six Diyarbakir-based F-16s jets hit suspected Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) positions in the remote Khwakurk region of Iraq on Monday 8 December. The air offensive is backed up by10, 000 Turkish troops who are joining the KDP (Kurdistan Democratic Party)and thousands of Turkish soldiers already campaigning against the PKK, which uses the area to strike into Turkey. "
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Lockheed Martin wants to buy the state-owned Israeli Aircraft Industries. Lockheed Martin is particularly interested in IAI's ability to upgrade F-16 fighter jets, which the US firm manufactures. The president of the US company, Norman Augustine, expressed interest in purchasing the Israeli aerospace giant during a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month. IAI has been struggling financially in recent years and due to a severe cash flow problem and may fall behind on upcoming salaries for 13, 500workers.
Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems of Ft. Worth and Tracor Systems of Austin announced on Wednesday November 26th that they were teaming up to develop several drone aircraft, including a pilotless F-16.
The USAF recently purchased 21 MiG-29's from Moldova, in order to prevent their acquisition by Iran. It is believed the aircraft will be put to good use in DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat Training) exercises. Most airframes are Fulcrum-Cs, although some -Bs and -As were also purchased. The -C models are capable of nuclear delivery and will be thoroughly examined at Wright-Patterson before beginning operations late next year. It is expected that the MiG-29s will replace some of the F-16s currently used in the aggressor role.
Bahrain finally decided to buy 8new Lockheed Martin Block 40 F-16 C/D aircraft, with an option for four more, rather than purchase 2nd-hand A/B models that were also offered by the US. The deal is subject to US release of some technology associated with the aircraft, and the request is currently under review.
General Electric has committed itself to funding development of the F110-GE-129 Enhanced Fighter Engine (EFE) to full flight qualification, currently scheduled for December 1999. The EFE program is not currently funded by the US Department of Defense. To meet the needs of all F-15 and F-16 users (USAF and international), GE will develop a 129 retrofit program to incorporate EFE technology in existing and new-production engines.
General Electric Aircraft Engines has launched a program to manufacture an improved engine, meant to be installed in aircraft competing for the next Israeli purchase of US combat airplanes.
About eighteen F-16s and 400 airmen from Moody Air Force Base at Valdosta, Ga., have been ordered to Bahrain as part of the continued buildup of U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf. The planes, part of Moody's 347th Wing, will be joined by aircraft-- including F-15 fighters and B-1 bombers -- from other bases to make up the 347th Expeditionary Wing.
It has been known for some time that Israel is looking for as much as 100 new fighters by the turn of the century.
Thomson Training & Simulation (TT&S), a subsidiary of Thomson CSF, has been selected by Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems to produce an F-16A simulator for the Pakistan Air Force. The decision, which marks the 16th simulator produced by TT&S for the F-16A, was made at the Dubai 97 Air Show on 18 November 1997.
The U.S. commerce secretary Tuesday threw his weight behind Lockheed Martin's bid to supply the UAE and Saudi Arabia with warplanes, saying the U.S. aerospace industry accounted for 850, 000 jobs.
In the next month, the F-16 Systems Program Office at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is to present its evaluation of the F-16aircraft "Gold Strike" program to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Ryan.
The Pentagon said yesterday that South Korea is seeking spare parts for a range of aircraft, radar and missile systems under a $160 million deal.
The Pentagon said Wednesday that Singapore seeks $287 million in services and support for its F-16C/D fighters including a new 20mm cannon, modifications and maintenance, training, spare parts and support equipment.
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