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First 2 of 14 Slovakian F-16 Block 70s arrive in country

July 22, 2024 (by Lieven Dewitte) - Slovakia has received the first two of the 14 new F-16 Block 70s from the United States whose delivery was pushed back two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Slovakia’s first two F-16 block 70s arrived on July 22nd, 2024 to begin operations with the Slovak Air Force. [Slovak Ministry of Defense photo]

Lockheed Martin has produced five F-16 Block 70 jets for Slovakia to date, with the remaining nine jets for Slovakia all in production. All 14 of Slovakia’s F-16s will be delivered by the end of 2025.

As Slovakia has now joined the ranks of nations operating the F-16, a benchmark NATO fighter, they bolster their defence capabilities and readiness for NATO operations.

In 2018 the government of Yugoslavia signed the $1.8 billion deal to purchase 14 U.S. F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets in a move meant to replace the obsolete Soviet-made MiG-29 jets.

Slovakia grounded its MiGs in the summer of 2022 due to a lack of spare parts and expertise to help maintain them after Russian technicians returned home following Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the government approved a plan to give Ukraine its fleet of 13 MiG-29s.

With Slovakia lacking its own aircraft, NATO allies Poland, the Czech Republic, and subsequently Hungary have undertaken the task of safeguarding Slovak airspace.

The F-16 Block 70 jets are equipped with the Northrop Grumman APG-83 AESA Radar, advanced avionics, an extended structural service life of 12,000 hours, and critical safety features like the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS). Since its integration into the U.S. Air Force in late 2014, the Auto GCAS has been instrumental in saving 13 pilots across 12 F-16 incidents, exemplifying the aircraft's unparalleled safety and performance standards.

Lockheed Martin has a backlog of 128 F-16 Block 70/72 jets to be produced in Greenville, South Carolina, with 12 total jets delivered to date for international partners. Earlier this month, the company delivered the 4600th F-16, a testament to the continued relevance of the aircraft over five decades.


Additional images:

OJ Sanchez, vice president & general manager, Lockheed Martin Integrated Fighter Group; Peter Kmec, Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Economy of Slovakia; Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia; Robert Kaliňák, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Slovakia; Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia; Gautam Rana, Ambassador of the United States to Slovakia pose to F-16C block 70 #1002. [Slovak Ministry of Defense photo]