Naomi Cooper
The first F-16 aircraft in the Block 70 configuration has carried out its inaugural flight at Lockheed Martin‘s production site in Greenville, South Carolina.
Lockheed test pilots flew the fighter jet for about 50 minutes to check its engine, flight control and fuel system and perform basic aircraft handling, the company said Tuesday.
“This milestone demonstrates Lockheed Martin’s commitment to advancing this program and getting this much-needed aircraft and its advanced 21st Century Security capabilities to the warfighter,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president of the integrated fighter group at Lockheed.
The maiden flight comes two months after the first F-16 Block 70 aircraft completed the final assembly and checkout and paint phases at the Greenville facility.
The aircraft is the first of the 16 next-generation jets set to be delivered to Bahrain under a potential $1.12 billion contract awarded by the Air Force in 2018.
