The US opens a new production line for the F-16 . fighter

To serve the growing demand for F-16 fighters in the world, Lockheed Martin has opened a new production line in Greenville, South Carolina, USA.

Orders for the F-16 fighter version Block 70/72 will be completed at the factory in Greenville. Nearly 400 jobs will be created to support this production line, almost double the workforce employed at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Greenville. This will be the only surviving F-16 production line in the world. It was set up three years after Lockheed Martin discontinued the line in Fort Worth, Texas. Recently, representing five partner countries, the US Air Force signed a contract with Lockheed Martin worth $14 billion to build 128 F-16s by 2026. The first F-16s of this line will ship in 2022 and production will increase steadily in the following years. These aircraft will be delivered to Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Taiwan territories. The F-16 Block 70/72 will be integrated with active electronically scanned array radar (AESA), advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) with longer strike capability, and a suitable expanded fuel tank. with the fuselage. Even after 2026, the US is expected to receive more orders for the F-16 due to its reasonable price and versatility.