The F-16 Block 70 is an innovative version of the traditional F-16s that will remain effective well into the future, and the Royal Bahraini Airforce will be the pioneer in deploying this combat aircraft. With time comes dependence – that’s the message conveyed by Lockheed Martin, the esteemed American manufacturer, with its latest F-16 Block 70 combat aircraft. The new production of F-16s incorporates structural and capability enhancements that “ensure the global F-16 fleet can operate until 2060 and beyond,” as stated by the original equipment manufacturer.
The Kingdom of Bahrain will be the first nation to acquire the newest variant, as officials from Bahrain, the United States, and Lockheed Martin celebrated the agreement in Greenville, South Carolina on March 10th. Bahrain has a unique F-16 history: it was the first Gulf Cooperation Council member to operate F-16s in the early 1990s and is now receiving the initial batch of F-16 Block 70 aircraft.
According to GlobalData’s report on Bahrain Defense Market Data, 2022-32, the Royal Bahraini Airforce currently possesses 16 F-16C Block 40 and 4 F-16D Block 40 legacy combat aircraft, procured between the 1990s and 2000. The new variant will equip Bahrain’s fourth-generation aircraft with fifth-generation capabilities, keeping the air force up to date. OJ Sanchez, Vice President of Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, which includes the F-16 program, remarked, “With the Block 70 iteration, we are modernizing fourth-generation aircraft for the Royal Bahraini Air Force and other partners and allies worldwide.” This F-16 Block 70 jet is the first of 16 jets ordered by Bahrain.
The new variant completed its maiden flight on January 24th, 2023. It will undergo additional flight tests at Edwards Air Force Base before being delivered to Bahrain in 2024. Old dog, new tricks Northrop Grumman’s APG-83 AESA radar equips the Block 70 with fifth-generation fighter radar capabilities, benefiting from hardware and software commonality with F-22 and F-35 AESA radars. AESA delivers enhanced situational awareness, flexibility, and quicker all-weather targeting, providing pilots with detailed target area information and customizable digital map displays with slew and zoom features.
The new variant is already gaining popularity, with six countries selecting the Block 70 aircraft. In addition to the existing official backlog of 127 jets to be manufactured in Greenville, Jordan has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for 12 jets, and Lockheed Martin has received a contract to initiate long-lead activities. Similarly, Bulgaria has signed an LOA for an additional eight jets for its fleet. Once these agreements are finalized, the backlog will