Chile's F-16s Will Be State of the Art

Chile has become the 22nd country to sing up the the F-16.

Chile's 10 Block 50 F-16s will be absolutely state of the art and up to the latest USAF standard when delivered in 2005-06, according to Henry Gomez, Lockheed Martin's regional sales director.

They will also be equipped with the same deadly, off-boresight Rafael Python 4 missiles that currently arm Chile's F-5 Tiger IIIs.

The F-16s will feature the latest Modular Mission Computer, full-color cockpit, internal electronic warfare capability, and provision for targeting/ navigation pods and precision guided munitions.

Its advanced radar--a Northrop Grumman APG-68(V)XM unit--will enable search and rescue as well as ground imaging.

"This is absolutely state of the art," said Gomez. "We are basically increasing the memory capacity and throughput speed of the mission computer, and providing for a lot of growth--10 more slots in fact--while the reliability and maintainability of the avionics are vastly superior to 10 or even five years ago."

The "standard" fit of the F-16s will enable them to be maintained anywhere in the world Chile chooses to end them, he added.