The Israeli air force is planning a new mid-life upgrade for its Lockheed Martin F-16C/D combat aircraft, with the activity to focus mainly on performing structural work on its Block 30, or "Barak 1" production examples.
Further details of the proposal have not been released, but it will be conducted in parallel to the service's ongoing "Barak 2020" avionics upgrade to its F-16C/Ds. This involves the aircraft being equipped with new head-up displays and other equipment, plus the introduction of a digital debriefing capability.
Upgrade work on the aircraft is being performed at the squadron-level, under the supervision of the main technical unit number 22 - the air force's central maintenance depot.
Israel currently has no plans to upgrade the capabilities of its earlier F-16A/Bs, with these to be phased out in coming years. However, delays to the introduction of the air force's Lockheed F-35 Lightning IIs could affect the pace of the action, as Israel is committed to keeping a certain inventory of operational fighters at all times.
Source: Flight International
