Lockheed Martin awarded $187m

The US government has awarded an initial $187m for long-lead tasks as part of a $1.1bn contract to Lockheed Martin for the production of 30 F-16 aircraft for Turkey.

‘This marks the 52nd follow-on buy of F-16s by 14 repeat customers,’ said John Larson, vice president, Lockheed Martin F-16 programs. ‘The aircraft we will deliver to Turkey will join the fleet of over 4,300 F-16s representing 24 nations.’

Earlier this year, the governments of Turkey and the United States signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) agreeing to the purchase of 30 Block 50 F-16s.

The new aircraft will supplement the Turkish Air Force's (TUAF) existing fleet of F-16s and contribute to the upgrade and modernisation of the TUAF.

The new aircraft include the same advanced systems being installed on

's existing F-16 fleet as part of an on-going upgrade program. The final Turkish F-16 under this contract will be delivered in 2013.