December 16, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - On Friday, December 15, the first of two contracted Slovak F-16D Block 70s was flown from Donaldson Field Airport in Greenville, South Carolina.
The F-16 with serial number #1101 is equipped with a characteristic hump for additional avionic.

In December 2018, the Slovak Republic ordered twelve F-16C Fighting Falcon Block 70 aircraft and two two-seater F-16Ds.

The contract also included the construction of infrastructure at the Sliač air base and the training of 22 pilots and 160 mechanics. Deliveries were supposed to begin in 2022, but the program has been hit by a slide due to chip shortages, the COVID-19 pandemic and the relocation of Lockheed Martin's F-16 production line to new premises in Greenville.

Slovakia’s first single-seat F-16 Block 70 (# 1001) completed its maiden flight on September 29, 2023.

A total of six countries ordered the Block 70/72 aircraft.

December 11, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A U.S. F-16 pilot safely ejected from his jet before it crashed into the Yellow Sea off South Korea's southwestern coast on Monday.
The Viper driver was recovered by Republic of Korea Maritime Forces, and reported as “awake and in stable conditions” and being returned to his homebase to be evaluated further.

Kunsan Air Base, located in Gunsan, South Korea, said in a statement that an F-16 assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing experienced an in-flight emergency at approximately 08:43h local time on Monday, prompting the pilot to eject himself from the aircraft.

The pilot was recovered by the Republic of Korea Maritime Forces in awake and stable condition.

In May, an F-16 of the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing crashed into farmland near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul. At the time, the pilot escaped safely and no civilian casualties were reported.

November 3, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $177m contract to provide support for the Chilean Air Force F-16 M6.6 Operational Flight Programme and Systems Upgrade.
The contract is set to enhance the operational capabilities of the Chilean military’s F-16 fleet. Chile’s defence budget is on the rebound and is projected to reach $2.6bn by 2028.

The 31 October award was conducted via the US Department of Defense (DOD) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. It was announced by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah and marks a step in providing Chile with the necessary support to maintain its military readiness and capabilities. The contract is scheduled for completion by November 30, 2032.

In a notable move, this contract is classified as a sole source acquisition. The work will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas, Greenville, South Carolina, and Chile itself.

The F-16 M6.6 Operational Flight Programme and Systems Upgrade are set to introduce technology and enhancements to the Chilean F-16 fleet, ensuring its continued relevance and effectiveness globally.

The Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile:FACh) operates a fleet of 44 F-16s. They procured 36 F-16AM/BM mid-life update (MLU) aircraft from the Netherlands between 2006 and 2011, in addition to 10 new-build F-16C/D Block 50s acquired from Lockheed Martin in the early 2000s. The F-16A/Bs were subsequently upgraded to M4 standard, putting their capabilities on par with the new-build models.

This significant move follows the clearance granted by the U.S. State Department in July 2020 for Chile to acquire modernization upgrades for its F-16 aircraft.

While the prospect of upgrading the existing F-16 fleet had been under consideration since 2017, detailed plans were yet to be disclosed. Additionally, analysts have speculated that Chile might also consider purchasing a limited number of new F-16s to complement its existing inventory.

The comprehensive upgrades covered under U.S.-approved prospective sale encompass an array of equipment, including 19 Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS), six inert MK-82 (500LB) general purpose bomb bodies, two MXU-650KB Air Foil Groups (AFG), 44 LN-260 Embedded GPS/INS (EGI), and 49 Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radios (MIDS JTRS).

Moreover, the package incorporates avionics equipment and software enhancements, new radios, upgraded IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) transponders, secure communications equipment, and various other critical components.

November 1, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The first F-16 fighter jets that the Netherlands is donating to Ukraine will arrive at the training center in Romania within two weeks, according to Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte.
Rutte did not give the exact number of F-16s, but Zelensky said earlier this year that there had been an agreement for 42 Dutch aircraft. Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have also announced that they will provide F-16 aircraft to Ukraine.

The Royal Dutch Air Force will deploy the F-16s to the "Lt. Aviator Gheorghe Mociorniță" Air Base in Romania. There, the training courses for Ukrainian pilots will start shortly. It should then take about a year before the Ukrainian pilots mastered all of the F-16’s functions. Maintenance support staff also need a long-term training.

Romanian defense minister Angel Tîlvăr signed a Letter of Intent between the Ministry of National Defense of Romania, the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands, and aircraft maker Lockheed Martin regarding the F-16 Training Center in Romania at the end of August.

"Through this center, Romania commits to providing a high-quality training environment, with access to state-of-the-art technical resources and know-how not only for Romanian pilots but also for those from allied and partner states, including Ukraine," Tîlvăr said.

Training new Viper drivers takes about eight months, while a more experienced pilot who has flown tactically may be able to master it in five months or less. Training has been ongoing at the Danish military air base in Skrydstrup and in the US at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas and Morris Air National Guard Base in Arizona.

Ukraine's fighter fleet consists of Sukhoi Su-27 Flankers and Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrums, both built by the Soviet Union. However, the nation has long planned to receive F-16s once pilots have completed the required training, which includes everything from combat flying to language courses.

Whether a fourth-generation fighter, even as capable as the F-16, can make a difference in this environment, where pilots have to fly close to the ground to avoid enemy radars and neither side has been able to gain air superiority, has been a matter of debate among airpower experts.

There are those who believe they have no chance, those who believe it can affect things but only in certain missions, and still others who believe it will mostly depend on the missiles.

October 24, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - After months of negotiations, a handful of Ukrainian pilots are at long last in Arizona. They're part of the first group of Ukrainians learning how to fly the F-16 fighter jet.
The small group of Ukrainian pilots first took English language courses in Texas before going to Morris ANG base in Arizona to start their flight training. The Air Forces 162nd Wing will lead the training. The 162nd is the primary F16 training hub for the USAF. Every country currently flying the F-16 today was taught by the 162nd.

The Training Regiment starts in the classroom before the pilots move on to a simulator and then, finally, flying actual jets over the American Southwest.

Ukraine's pilots will most likely see an accelerated training course as their skills are in dire need back home.Ukraine's military has called out for F-16s since the earliest days of Russia's full-scale invasion — a call that was only answered this summer.

The plane is no silver bullet in the conflict, but it's a notable improvement to Ukraine's stock of Soviet-era jets. It has multiple potential uses, including defending against Russia's exploding drone barrages, bombarding Russian defensive positions on the front line, and — a more risky and therefore less likely scenario. Much of its capabilities will depend on the weapons it's equipped with — and the effectiveness of the pilots flying it.

The United States is part of an 11-nation coalition to get F-16s to Ukraine. The Netherlands and Denmark are also training pilots and will give Ukraine its first batch of 42 F-16s. The planes should be in country sometime in the first part of 2024. Even with expedited training, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the earliest anyone can expect Ukrainian pilots to be flying F-16s against Russia would be next spring.

October 6, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - In a rare use of force by one NATO member against another a USAF F-16C block 40 shot down an armed Turkish Anka-S drone on Thursday.as it came too close of American troops and Syrian Democratic Forces at the Tal Baydar base in northeastern Syria.
Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, called it a “regrettable incident” and said U.S. troops were forced to go to bunkers for safety as Turkey bombed targets nearby.

The F-16 belonged to the 555th EFS which are currently on deployment at Muwaffaq Al-Salti AB, Jordan.

The decision to shoot down an ally's armed drone "was made out due diligence and the inherent right of self-defense to take appropriate action to protect U.S. forces,” Ryder said, adding that “we have no indication that Turkey was intentionally targeting U.S. forces.”

U.S. officials earlier told The Associated Press the shootdown was ordered after more than a dozen calls to Turkish military officials stating that U.S. forces were on the ground in the area and that the U.S. military would take action to protect them if the drone didn’t leave. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of a sensitive military incident.

Ryder said U.S. forces observed Turkish drones doing airstrikes around Hassakeh at about 07:30h local time, and some strikes were inside a so-called American “restricted operating zone” just a kilometer (about a half mile) from U.S. troops. He said a bit later a Turkish drone re-entered the restricted area “on a heading toward where U.S. forces were located.”

Commanders assessed that the drone armed with air-to-ground missiles, which was now less than half a kilometer (500yards) away from U.S. troops, was a potential threat and U.S. F-16 fighter jets shot it down at roughly 11:40h.

No U.S. forces were injured during the incident, and a Pentagon spokesperson stated there was no indication that Turkey was intentionally targeting U.S. troops.

The Turkish military acknowledged that an unmanned aircraft was shot down but denied ownership of the drone, according to Reuters,

Turkey has recently stepped up attacks on Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria after Kurdish militants claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in Ankara on Sunday. Turkey views the Syrian Democratic Forces as a wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, which numerous nations have designated a terrorist organization.

Syria has been in a civil war for more than a decade, and the country is split into areas controlled by the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad; al-Qaida-linked militants and Turkish-backed opposition fighters in the northwest; and Kurdish forces in the northeast that the U.S. partners with to conduct missions against the Islamic State group. So far, the war has killed half a million people, wounded hundreds of thousands and left many parts of the country destroyed.

Typically, the U.S. and Turkish militaries, which are NATO allies, work in close coordination in conducting air maneuvers. But Turkey considers the Kurdish forces that work with the American troops to be aligned with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK.

The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria conducting missions to counter Islamic State group militants.

September 25, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The Biden administration is reportedly negotiating with Vietnam on the sale of an arms package featuring a fleet of F-16 fighter jets, in a move that could irk China and sideline Russia.
Washington and Hanoi are in talks on a deal for the largest-ever transfer of military equipment between the former Cold War adversaries. The armaments package that the U.S. would seek to sell to Vietnam would include a fleet of F-16 fighter jets, as well as their associated weaponry and equipment.

The deal is still in its early stages, with exact terms yet to be finalized, and may not come to fruition. But it was a key topic of official Vietnam-U.S. talks in Hanoi, New York and Washington over the past month.

The Russia-Ukraine war is making it harder for Vietnam to acquire weapons from its longstanding arms supplier Russia. The tensions between China and Vietnam because of overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea is another reason Vietnam could consider acquiring the US warplanes.

The arrival of the U.S. fighters would allow the Vietnam People’s Air Force to strengthen and modernize its capabilities, as it currently has about 40 Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30MK2 heavy fighters, which are its main air defense assets, and about 30 older Su-22 attack fighters, which the F-16s could replace.

In June 2015, the Vietnamese air force already showed interest in acquiring European and U.S. aircraft as part of its ongoing modernisation. Possible candidates included the Typhoon, Rafale, F-16 and Saab Gripen E/F.

Last year Vietnam already reached an agreement with the United States to acquire 12 Beechcraft T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft.

The Biden administration is now even considering the possibility of structuring especially favorable financing conditions for Vietnam to be able to afford the purchase and operation of the new US weapons systems, which would imply a heavy investment in the modernization and adaptation of the Vietnamese military infrastructure, as well as a significant doctrinal change for its Armed Forces.

September 21, 2023 (by David Choi) - A South Korean Air Force KF-16 fighter crashed Thursday morning shortly after takeoff at a base in Seosan City, about 60 miles southwest of Seoul, according to an Air Force spokesman.
The KF-16 from the 20th Fighter Wing crashed just after 8:20 a.m. inside Seosan Air Force Base as it departed for a routine flight, the spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone on Thursday.

South Korean officials regularly speak to the media on the customary condition of anonymity.

The pilot, the only crew member, ejected from the aircraft and was checked out at a nearby hospital; no other injuries or damage to structures occurred, the spokesman said.

The KF-16 was not involved with a joint flight with the U.S. military at the time of the crash, he added.

The incident marks the second KF-16 crash in less than a year. On Nov. 20, a KF-16 pilot ejected from his aircraft before it crashed on a mountain near Wonju, about 50 miles southeast of Seoul, due to a maintenance error, Air Force officials said at the time.

KF-16s, a South Korean version of the U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon, regularly drill alongside U.S. fighters. The aircraft flew with South Korean F-35A Lightning IIs and U.S. Fighting Falcons near the peninsula's west coast for a “rapid and flexible response” drill on July 28.

The KF-16 is manufactured under license in South Korea by defense contractor Korea Aerospace Industries.

Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report.

September 14, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) publicly confirmed last week during an open house celebration at the at Paya Lebar Air Base that its upgraded F-16 C/D/D+ fighter aircraft are armed with the Python 5 air-to-air missile.
In 2018, Singapore purchased a number of SPYDER surface-to-air missile platforms developed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). As such, Singapore has likely had the Python-5 missile since then.

The Python-5 is currently the most capable air-to-air missile (AAM) in Israel's inventory and one of the most advanced AAMs in the world, even though it has a relatively short radius of 20 kilometers. The Python-5 was introduced in 2003 and as a beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile, it has "lock-on after launch" (LOAL) capabilities, and has all-aspect/all-direction (including rearward) attack ability. The missile features an advanced electro-optical infrared homing (with imaging infrared) seeker which scans the target area for hostile aircraft, then locks-on for terminal chase.

Three years after its introduction, the Israeli Python 5 air-to-air missile got its first combat kill when an Israeli F-16 downed a Hizbollah UAV.

The Python-5 missiles were incorporated into the RSAF's fleet of upgraded F-16 C/D/D+ fighters as part of the aircraft's mid-life upgrade (MLU) programme meant to extend their service lives into the 2030s. A commemorative unit patch for the Singaporean F-16 upgrade program had shown a Python missile, hinting at its eventual integration with the jet. The U.S. Air Force’s 416th Flight Test Squadron, based at Edwards Air Force Base in California, issued the patch.

Singapore’s F-16 pilots also use the Display and Sight Helmet system, made by Israeli firm Elbit Systems, that allows pilots to aim weapons by looking at a targe

The unveiling came ahead of a major open house celebration, at the air base, this weekend to mark the 55th anniversary of the founding of the RSAF, which was established following the model of the Israeli Occupation Forces.

Between 1998 and 2004, Singapore bought 62 F-16C/Ds, from the block 52 cohort, in multiple batches. Notably, the model bought by Singapore is the same model that the IOF used to custom-design the F-16 Soufa, which made the possibility of integrating the Python-5 missile possible.

Singapore is eventually set to replace its F-16s with stealthy F-35B Joint Strike Fighters capable of landing and takeoff in a vertical position or on a runway.

The arms race in Asia continues as the US military complex and government continue to fund it across multiple Asian countries.

Earlier in August, the US Department of State granted approval for a potential sale of infrared search and track systems for F-16s, along with other equipment, to Taiwan. This move, with a maximum potential value of $500 million, has been confirmed by the Pentagon.

The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Corp, which was awarded, on September 1st, an $18 million government contract to service Taiwan's F16s.

The work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and in Taiwan; it is expected to be completed by August 30, 2030.

September 7, 2023 (by Asif Shamim) - The first F-16 Block 70 aircraft for the Slovak Republic was unveiled at Lockheed Martin's facility in Greenville, South Carolina, during a visit from the country's Minister of Defence, Martin Sklenár.
The Slovak Republic will be the first European country to receive this newest and most capable version of the Fighting Falcon. The F-16 Block 70 aircraft will deliver decades of 21st Century Security capabilities in support of the Slovak Republic's national security.

"These F-16s will enable the Slovak Air Force to stay ahead of threats in the region, and be part of the allied mission in Europe, NATO, and around the world," said OJ Sanchez, vice president, of Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin. "This jet represents the strong partnership between Lockheed Martin, the United States, the Slovak Republic, and allies."

This F-16 Block 70 jet is the first of 14 to be delivered to the Slovak Republic.

August 23, 2023 (by Lieven Dewitte) - Ukrainian pilots have begun training on the F-16, a piece of military hardware they deem essential to counter Russian air superiority. A number of Ukrainian engineers and technicians are also undergoing training, in addition to the eight pilots.
It is unclear when the last day of training will be but the instructors will announce the completion of training when they were satisfied the pilots, engineers and technicians had mastered their new skills. There seems to be a minimal term of six months though.

Trainees will also get English-language training in technical terminology, as the basic level of English language is not good enough.

The F-16 training program is being supported by a coalition of 11 NATO countries and required official US approval because the jets are American technology. The US recently committed to approve the transfer of F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine as soon as training is complete.

Denmark and the Netherlands have taken the lead in preparing a program to train Ukrainian pilots on the American jet, but the US is still working with other countries to see who may provide F-16s to the Ukrainian Air Force.

Last Friday, the US approved the transfer of F-16 instructional materials from Denmark to Ukraine. The transfer allows the Danish defense ministry to move forward with their effort to stand up pilot and maintenance training programs. The approval includes training modules, documentation and classroom training materials, the official said, which contains information about sensitive US technology.

Officials from a coalition of 11 nations have said training will take place in Denmark and Romania.

Over 73 Ukrainian military personnel arrived at the Danish military air base in Skrydstrup for training, among which eight pilots. Ukraine expects several dozens of pilots to be trained.

Romania is the most recent country within NATO to get its hands on F-16s. The Romanian Air Force has been notably resourceful in growing its F-16 fleet, starting with a batch of 12 second-hand jets from Portuguese stocks, followed by another five from the same source, and finally agreeing to buy 32 from Norway, which has retired all its Vipers. These last 32 jets will be delivered once they have been refurbished in Norway.

Greece also offered to train Ukrainian pilots with the Hellenic Air Force 120 Air Training Wing at Kalamata Air Base.

The Greek Air Force consists mostly of F-16 jets and Greek pilots are considered extremely experienced in the use of the US-built warplanes.

Hardware
The Netherlands and Denmark will supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine with first deliveries due around New Year. Both countries have F-16s available to donate as their armed forces are transitioning to newer F-35 fighters.

Denmark will deliver 19 jets in total, with the first six due to be shipped to Ukraine around New Year, followed by eight in 2024 and five the following year.

The Netherlands has 42 F-16s available in all but has yet to decide whether all of them will be donated.

The Netherlands and Denmark have led a months-long push to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16's and to ultimately deliver the jets to help counter the air superiority of Russia, whose forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.