Jordan has officially signed a letter of offer and acceptance for the purchase of eight new production F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the United States.
The selection of the latest iteration of the Lockheed Martin-built F-16 will extend Jordan’s existing fleet of F-16s f F-16 aircraft that were either donated from the US in the 1990s, or acquired used from Belgium and the Netherlands.
Over the years, the majority of Jordan’s F-16 fighters were upgraded to the Mid-Life Update (MLU) level, similar in capability to the F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft.
Block 70 features technologies developed for the 5th Generation F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor fighters and will represent a considerable increase in capability for Jordan.
Jordan’s signing of the LOA that was announced that was announced by Lockheed Martin on June 16 follows the US State Department’s approval for the sale of a total of 16 F-16 Block 70 fighters to Jordan in February this year.
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the sale, should it be concluded, would have an estimated cost of $4.21 billion, and would include 12 single-seat and four two-seat airframes.
“This F-16 acquisition reflects over 70 years of US cooperation and decades of partnership with Lockheed Martin,” says Aimee Burnett, vice president, Integrated Fighter Group Business Development. “Our history partnering with Jordan strengthens regional security and helps protect citizens through 21st century security technologies that support critical missions today and into the future.”
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