Lockheed Martin and the Hellenic Aviation Industry (EAV) have delivered to the Hellenic Air Force the 20th F-16 fighter jet upgraded to "Viper" class.
OJ Sanchez, Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Integrated Fighter Group, stated that the company is proud to have partnered with EAV “to upgrade the F-16s to the advanced Viper configuration for the Hellenic Air Force,” adding that this upgrade “enhances Greece’s role in NATO.”
He also announced that with this upgrade, the Hellenic Air Force will be equipped with the “most advanced and cost-effective F-16 fleet in Europe.”
84 of the fighter jets are being upgraded to the Viper configuration, with an aim to complete the upgrade program by 2027. Work on the aircraft is being carried out at sites in Greece and the United States.
With 16 more aircraft in the pipeline for upgrade to Viper configuration, additional aircraft are expected to be delivered during the year.
According to the US company, the partnership enhances Greece's NATO interoperability and includes advanced security and systems improvements, such as the APG-83 radar and the Automatic Terrain Collision Avoidance System.
The company says this long-term cooperation is worth over $1 billion in financial benefits to the Greek defence industry and the Hellenic Air Force.
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