Slovakia unveils its first F-16 Block 70 jet as defense chief visits US

Europe, News, US September 11, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Slovakia unveiled the country’s first F-16 Block 70 fighter jet during Slovakia’s Defense Minister Martin Sklenár’s visit to the U.S., where he attended the ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina.

According to the Lockheed Martin statement, the Slovak Republic will become the first European country to receive the latest and most capable version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon jet. The F-16 Block 70 jet is the first of 14 to be delivered to the Slovak Republic.

“The F-16 Block 70 aircraft will deliver decades of 21st Century Security capabilities in support of the Slovak Republic’s national security,” the statement highlighted.

Vice president of Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin, OJ Sanchez said, “These F-16s will enable the Slovak Air Force to stay ahead of threats in the region, and be part of the allied mission in Europe, NATO, and around the world.”

Sanchez further highlighted that the latest variant of the F-16 jet “represents the strong partnership between Lockheed Martin, the United States, the Slovak Republic and allies.”

The F-16 aircraft is a strategic and valuable choice for countries seeking advanced fourth-generation fighter jet capabilities at affordable lifecycle costs. At present more than 3,100 F-16 jets are operating in 25 countries. The latest version of the aircraft, the Block 70/72 offers advanced capabilities and will be flown by at least six countries.

Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 aircraft — ^{Minister of Defence of the Slovak Republic Martin Sklenár (left) with Vice President of the Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin OJ Sanchez at the company’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina. (Image Credit: Lockheed Martin)}

Last week, U.S. defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced a Letter of Intent to establish the European F-16 training center in Romania. The company signed an agreement with the governments of Romania and the Netherlands to set up the training center.

According to the company’s statement, for decades, Lockheed Martin has been supporting F-16 fighter jets worldwide with extensive experience in pilot and maintainer training.

At present, there are several hundred F-16 jets operating across Europe. Romania, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Greece, and Turkey, among other European states, are using F-16s to protect airspace and support integrated NATO peacekeeping missions.