Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $199 million contract to support the production of 18 Block 52 F-16C/Ds for the Iraqi air force. Announced on 24 July, the order will contribute to the delivery of 12 single-seat F-16C fighters, six D-model trainers and ancillary equipment needed to support the fleet.

Iraq is buying the jets under a Foreign Military Sales contract.

"The LOA [letter of acceptance] for the first 18 F-16 Block 52s was signed last year, with deliveries scheduled between May 2014 and January 2016," Lockheed says. "The [24 July] contract award was in support of this LOA."

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US Air Force

Lockheed says the US Congress was notified earlier this year that Iraq wants to buy another batch of 18 F-16s. "The discussions between the United States and the Iraq governments regarding this programme are ongoing," it says.

Source: Flight International