FlightGlobal
• Greg Waldron
The two-seat F-16D completed its maiden flight at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, facility, marking the first new-build Block 72 to fly. The flight advances Morocco’s $3.787 billion order for 25 fighters as the production line gains momentum with orders from six countries.
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Greece has agreed to spend up to $4 billion upgrading additional F-16 fighters and acquiring advanced missiles from the United States, two senior sources told Reuters. The reported agreement followed a visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Portugal will choose a replacement for its aging F-16 fighters based on national interests, Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said after meeting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Lisbon. Rangel said the government is seriously considering the U.S. offer of F-35s, alongside other options.
Sweden’s air force is expanding its Gripen doctrine beyond defending national airspace, preparing to strike military targets deep inside Russia if Sweden comes under attack. The shift signals a broader concept of air warfare focused on taking the fight beyond Swedish territory.
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The two-seat F-16D completed its maiden flight at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, facility, marking the first new-build Block 72 to fly. The flight advances Morocco’s $3.787 billion order for 25 fighters as the production line gains momentum with orders from six countries.
Lockheed Martin says the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s first F-16 Block 72 has completed its maiden test flight. The milestone brings Morocco closer to taking delivery of the aircraft, although the reports provide no delivery schedule or details on the remaining test program.
Taiwan has received the first two of 66 F-16V Block 70 fighters ordered to strengthen its air force, with the aircraft arriving at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung on Oct. 2, 2026. The delivery advances a major U.S.-backed modernization effort as pressure from China increases.
More than half of Ukraine’s aging F-16 fleet is reportedly grounded as the war continues, while Western stocks of air-to-air missiles are also running low. The combination is constraining aircraft availability and the weapons supply supporting Ukraine’s fighter operations.
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