Lockheed Martin agreed with South Korea to extend the service life of F-16 fighter jets.
According to an agreement that was released by the US Department of Defense on July 31, 2020, Lockheed Martin received a bid to extend the service life of South Korean F-16 fighter jets under the agreement of FA8615-17-, with a fixed price of $34, 177, 354.
As part of the tender that is a single-source purchase, works will be performed in the Republic of Korea and are expected to be completed on August 15, 2026.
The first foreign military forces with F-16C/D model
South Korean Air Forces are the second air force that uses F-16C/D, operates a total of 180 F-16C/D aircraft. South Korea, which has Block 30 and Block 52 aircraft called KF-16 in Korea, is the fifth country that has line production of F-16.
The Republic of South Korea signed a letter of agreement to buy 36 F-16C/D Block 32 under Fighting Falcons VİA the Peace Bridge I Foreign Military Sales program. It makes Korea the first foreign military force that has Fighting Falcon’s F-16C/D model. Those aircraft make Korean Air forces more powerful with F-4D/E Fantoms and F-5E Tiger II that are used as primary fighter jets.
The F-16C/D has maximum range of 3, 886 km range and fly at a maximum speed of 2,125 km/h. It is powered by a one 13154-kg (29,000-IB) after-burning thrust Pratt & Whitney F100-PW.-229 or General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan. (If the Block numbers last digit “0” it shows that the aircraft’s motor designed by General Electric and if the last digit “2” it shows that the motor designed by Pratt Whitney.)
The F-16C/D can be armed with one 20-mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon with 500 rounds, plus provision for up to 9276 kg (20,450 Ib) of external ordnance on one under fuselage, six underwing and two tip hardpoints, this total declining to 5420 kg (11,950 Ib) for sorties including 9-g maneuvers; the ordnance can include AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, a wide range of disposable ordnance (free-tall and guided), drop tanks and electronic pods (ECM, reconnaissance and targeting).
