Lockheed Martin progresses F-16V deliveries to Greece

With 10 F-16Vs now delivered, the HAF is scheduled to receive all 84 of its upgraded aircraft back into service in 2027. (Lockheed Martin)

Lockheed Martin has progressed deliveries of the F-16V Fighting Falcon to Greece, with the 10th aircraft recently delivered to the Hellenic Air Force (HAF), the company announced on 4 August.

The company said the milestone had been achieved in conjunction with Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) about 11 months after the first two HAF F-16C/D Block 52+ Advanced aircraft to be upgraded to the latest F-16V standard were delivered to Tanagra Air Base in central Greece on 12 September 2022.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) a USD996.8 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to perform the upgrade work in December 2018.

The Greek F-16V programme has the goal of extending the fleet's service life until 2048. While the HAF's earlier F-16C/D Block 30 and Block 50 aircraft are not included in the programme, they are expected to receive equipment donated from the upgraded platforms.

While the first two aircraft were upgraded by Lockheed Martin at its Fort Worth facility in Texas, the remaining 82 are being done by HAI at its Tanagra facilities. Work is scheduled to be completed by 30 June 2027.

The F-16 is the backbone of Greece's combat air power and is supported in HAF service by the Dassault Mirage 2000-5 and McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II combat aircraft. The F-16V upgrade programme will enable the older Phantoms to be retired in due course, with the reduction in overall fleet numbers made up in enhanced capabilities and the introduction of both the Dassault Rafale and the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.