Our F-16 Scrapbook – International Operators
Lockheed martin has opened a new F-16 Fighting Falcon production line in Greenville, South Carolina, three years after it closed its original line in Fort Worth Texas. New orders from international customers drove the need for a new facility to build the newest version of the fighter – called the “Block 70” and “Block 72” variants.
The longevity of the F-16 has forced the company’s hand, as many of the original deliveries to the U.S. and other international operators have reached the end of their useful life due to fatigue and/or upgrade requirements. Other orders come from new customers as they desire a modern multi-role fighter that can be integrated into coalition forces easily. Today, there are over two dozen owner/operator countries in the F-16 family.
Here is a collection of non-U.S. operated F-16s from around the world, in our second of a four part series about the F-16 Fighting Falcon.