Italian defense officials accepted the first of 34 modified and refurbished F-16 Fighting Falcon A and B models from experts at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, May 16. Maj. Gen. Tommaso Ferro, air defense and defense cooperation attaché for the Italian air force, lead a delegation of military and diplomatic dignitaries in accepting aircraft purchased under the Defense Department's foreign military sales program.

Ogden's Air Logistics Center provides total support for America's F-16 fleet by modifying and upgrading existing models, creating better fighters than originally imagined by engineers, said Maj. Gen. Scott Bergren, Ogden ALC commander.

"We took the first aircraft for this program about a year ago, so we looked forward to this rollout with great anticipation," the general said. "This is our third foreign military sales rollout, and I'm convinced we get better with each one.” The F-16, a multirole fighter, provides extreme maneuverability and wide combat radius coupled with state of art avionics, allowing it to serve as a lethal weapons platform against aerial and ground targets.

Brought up from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., the five F-16s, which will be delivered to Italy in the next few weeks, have undergone 220 days of refurbishment and upgrades, according to Wayne Hansen, F-16 production chief here. The aircraft work complied with all technical compliance-technical orders changes since the aircraft was placed in stasis in Arizona, Hansen said.

Depot teams also made several modifications, including replacing some bulkheads that strengthen holes around fuel cell panels and wheel wells, Hansen said. The wings were removed and the bulkhead furthest aft that holds the vertical wing was replaced. The landing gear was refurbished and its bulkhead was also replaced.

The landing gear was refurbished and maintainers replaced the flight controls actuators. Computers and instruments, which provide the F-16 its technological edge, were removed, then tested and repaired as necessary, Hansen said. All equipment listed as a time change item -- one that must be changed after so many takeoffs and landings after a certain amount hours or has less than a full year's worth of service left -- is changed, Hansen said.

"The A and B model planes were built between 1978 and 1982, but these will be like new planes," Hansen said. After the modifications are complete, Hansen crews "bead blast them to the metal then paint the Italian color scheme."

"Upon viewing the first Fighting Falcon with Italian markings on it, I salute you and thank you for an outstanding job by the fine people at the Ogden Air Logistics Center,” said Ferro. “It's great to see such superb workmanship done with such spirit. This aircraft will advance our air defense and provides a step forward in our alliance, creating a strong bilateral relationship."

Italy will receive four B model F-16s, which are two-seat aircraft and will possibly be used to train Italian air force pilots who have never flown the aircraft before. The final F-16 delivery to Italy is scheduled for November 2004. [ANN Thanks Gary Boyle, Ogden Air Logistics Center Public Affairs]

FMI: www.af.mil, http://www.aeronautica.difesa.it/