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As part of its ongoing effort to foster product affordability LMTAS recently implemented an international data exchange standard known as the Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data, or STEP, on its F-16, F-22, Joint Strike Fighter, F-2 and KTX-2 programs.

Salespeople at the Lockheed Martin are nervously eyeing economic conditions in Chile, hoping that a drop in copper prices and Asian-related troubles won't upset a potentially lucrative sale of F-16 fighters. In August, the Clinton administration lifted a 20-year ban on U.S. weapons sales to South American nations.

The last two F-16A's of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard passed through Kelly AFB, TX on 11 March 1998 on there way to storage at AMARC, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.

Lockheed Martin Electronics and Missiles, along with the US Air Force, will complete flight testing later this year of an initial design of the LANTIRN2000 targeting pod that will significantly extend its operational range.

The proposed $9 billion merger of Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. was dealt a major setback Monday when the companies unexpectedly announced that the government opposed the transaction.

Pakistan said on Saturday it would go to court in the United States to seek a refund of $658 million it paid for 28 F-16 fighter planes that Washington has refused to supply because of legal hurdles.

Poland will probably invite bids to replace some of its old communist-era jet fighters only after it joins NATO next year, Prime Minister Jerzy Buzeksaid on Friday.

NATO's largest exercise this year, "Strong Resolve '98", is to take place in the North Atlantic and Iberian Peninsula between March 9-21.

Rumor has it that Croatia is looking to replace its MiG-21bis force with a modern fighter preferably the F-16.

Poland's defense and industry ministers teamed up on Tuesday to seek double the funds now proposed by the finance ministry for long-term modernization of the armed forces and for buying multi-purpose fighter jets.

Sixty Air Force F-16C jet fighters in the Gulf each cost $2, 335 an hour to fly, including base support, maintenance, fuel and aircrew.

Asia's economic turmoil could force Lockheed Martin and partner Samsung Aerospace to delay the first deliveries in a $2 billion South Korean government-backed contract to build the F-16 fighter for the South Korean air force.

Thailand's economic downturn has forced the cash-strapped air force to ground 100 fighter-jet pilots whom it can no longer afford to train.

With Chile expected to make a decision in its program for a fighter aircraft in the next two months, US and European aircraft manufacturers are fiercely competing for the lucrative production contract.

US defense aviation manufacturer Lockheed Martin said its F-16 and F-2 fighter jet programs in Asia were proceeding as scheduled despite the economic crisis in the region.