To support the growing demand for new F-16 aircraft from partner nations, the U.S. Air Force has teamed with Lockheed Martin Co. to open a new production line to build the F-16 Block 70/72 fighter aircraft at the company’s facility in Greenville, S.C.
Launched on Veterans Day 2019, the line is the only production facility for F-16s in the world, opening three years after the company’s long-time F-16 line in Fort Worth, Texas, wrapped up production.
Recently, and on behalf of five foreign military partners, the Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin approximately $14 billion, to build 128 F-16s at the facility through 2026.
The first F-16s are expected to roll off the production line in 2022, and production is expected to increase after the first year. The aircraft will be delivered to multiple foreign military partners, including Bahrain, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Taiwan, and others, many of whom have expressed interest beyond the first deliveries.
More aircraft are expected to be built in the upcoming years, and there are requests for F-16s under review from additional foreign military partners.