Fri, Mar 20, 2009
First Block 52 Advanced F-16 Delivered To Hellenic Air
Force
Ceremonies were held Thursday at Lockheed Martin's headquarters
in Fort Worth, TX to commemorate the F-16 Peace Xenia IV program
for Greece, and delivery of the first Block 52 Advanced F-16s under
the agreement.
This F-16 acquisition is the fourth for the Hellenic Air Force
(HAF) and the nation of Greece. Lt. Gen. Ioannis Giagkos, chief of
the Hellenic Air Force General Staff, accepted the first Peace
Xenia IV F-16 Block 52 advanced aircraft on behalf of his nation
and expressed satisfaction with its timely delivery.
"I am grateful to everyone who contributed to the design and
construction of this ultra-modern weapon system. With these new
aircraft, the defense and deterrent force of the Hellenic Air Force
will be significantly enhanced," he said.
"Lockheed Martin is pleased that through this
government-to-government agreement, we are able to offer for the
first time, a fully integrated and comprehensive weapon system,
including a self-protection system, weapons and other subsystems
which make this advanced version of the F-16 particularly effective
for the operational needs of the Hellenic Air Force," said Dennys
Plessas, vice president of business development for Lockheed in
Greece. "The recent completion of the infrastructure facilities as
a special project in conjunction with this aircraft buy at Araxos
Air Base, 116 Combat Wing guarantees the immediate use of this
weapon system by the Hellenic Air Force."
The Peace Xenia IV purchase program raises the total fighters
ordered by the HAF to 170. The aircraft rolled out Thursday is the
first of 30 Block 52 Advanced F-16s being produced in the newest
lot; the HAF received the F-16 Block 30 version starting in 1988,
the Block 50 version starting in 1997 and the Block 52+ version in
2003.
The Peace Xenia IV program includes 20 F-16Cs and 10 F-16Ds, all
powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine. The first
aircraft -- a single-seat F-16C model -- was accepted by the US
government (as agent for Greece in the Foreign Military Sales
process) in January 2009, one month ahead of schedule. The US
government also accepted the first two-seat F-16D version in
January. The first four aircraft will be ferried to Greece in May
with the remainder following in 2009 and 2010.
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