Poland received 48 F-16C/Ds from 2003, which it is now to upgrade to the latest F-16V standard for an estimated USD7.3 billion. (Lockheed Martin)
The US government has approved the upgrade of Poland's fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft for an estimated USD7.3 billion.
Announced by the US Defense and Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 23 October, the US Department of State approval covers the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of 48 F-16C/D Block 52+ aircraft, bringing them up to the latest F-16V standard (the manufactured equivalent of the newbuild Block 70/72).
“The proposed sale will allow Poland to modify and upgrade its existing F-16 aircraft to the new ‘Viper' configuration. The F-16 Viper mid-life upgrade will bolster Poland's air-defence and surveillance capabilities, support national security, and strengthen Poland's defence and contributions to NATO,” the DSCA said in its approval notification.
The F-16V features the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar (derived from the F-16E/F Block 60 AN/APG-80 and also known as the Scalable Agile Beam Radar [SABR]), a new Raytheon-RTX mission computer, the Link 16 datalink, modern cockpit displays, an enhanced electronic warfare (EW) system, and a ground-collision avoidance system. Poland's aircraft will also receive the latest L3Harris AN/ALQ-254V(1) Viper Shield EW suite.
Further to the remanufacture of the aircraft, the approval for Poland covers related equipment, spares, training, and support. It also includes test articles for Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), Boeing GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb I, Raytheon-RTX GBU-53/B StormBreaker, and Raytheon-RTX AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder munitions to be carried.
The Polish Air Force procured 48 F-16s in 2003 to replace its Warsaw Pact-era MiG-21 ‘Fishbed' fighters with the type entering service in 2006.
For more information on the F-16V, please see
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