Lockheed Martin is to upgrade the Republic of Korea Air Force's (ROKAF) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft fleet, under a $1.2bn contract.
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Under the foreign military sales contract issued by the US Air Force, ROKAF's 134 F-16 aircraft will receive upgrades based on the advanced F-16V configuration.
The planned upgrades include an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a modern commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based avionics subsystem, a large-format, high-resolution centre pedestal display and a high-volume and high-speed data bus.
Lockheed Martin F-16 programme vice-president Susan Ouzts said: "We truly appreciate the trust and confidence the Republic of Korea has placed in us with this contract.
"These upgrades are a critical piece of South Korea's national defence and highlight Lockheed Martin's commitment to the full lifecycle of the F-16, from production to through-life sustainment."
Lockheed is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and design authority of the F-16 and uniquely qualified to design, engineer, develop, integrate and sustain a complete F-16 weapons system solution tailored to customer requirements.
The aircraft is capable of carrying a wide range of air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface missiles.
Powered by either General Electric F110-GE-129 or Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-229 engine, the F-16 is capable of withstanding higher g-forces than the pilots.
To date, more than 4,570 F-16s have been delivered to customers worldwide.
The combat-proven multi-role fighter currently serves as the workhorse of the fighter fleet for 25 nations worldwide.
Image: Republic of Korea Air Force F-16. Photo: courtesy of PRNewsFoto/Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Com.
