In order to avoid problems flying into the US airspace, the F-16V is registered under the USAF and HAF insignias have been replaced with USAF ones.
The first F-16V belonging to the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) will land on Feb. 10, 2021 at the aerospace facility in Fort Worth, Texas, currently owned by the US Air Force (USAF) and operated by Lockheed Martin, where, for a few months, it will undergo final tests.
The aircraft started its journey on Feb.4 taking off from Tanagra Air Base in northern Attica, home of the HAF 114th Battle Wing.
As reported by Ekathimerini.com, in order to avoid problems flying into the US airspace, the aircraft is registered under the USAF and HAF insignias have been replaced with USAF ones.
The jet has made a stop at a base in Belgium where it will remain until Wednesday morning, when it will depart with three other F-16s from other countries for its final destination in Texas.
The final leg of the trip over the Atlantic from Belgium to Fort Worth will take about 10 hours.
The arrival of the fighter jet in the US for final tests, along with the introduction to the facilities of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) of a second F-16 that will be upgraded to V configuration, are testimony that the upgrading of the country’s jets is on track.
By 2027, another 83 jets must be upgraded, which means that HAI should deliver up to 12 aircraft a year.
Greece currently employs a mix of F-16s in Block 30, Block 50, Block 52+, and Block 52+ Advanced configurations. Therefore, Greece will have no difficulty absorbing the upgrade of these aircraft from an operation and support standpoint.
According to Lockheed Martin, having served with 28 customers around the world, the F-16 continues to prove itself as the world’s most successful, combat-proven multi-role fighter aircraft. Currently the F-16V, an option for both new production F-16s and F-16 upgrades, is the latest and most advanced F-16 on the market. The F-16V configuration includes numerous enhancements designed to keep the F-16 at the forefront of international security.
The F-16V provides advanced combat capabilities in a scalable and affordable package. The core of the F-16V configuration is the APG-83 AESA radar, a modern commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)-based avionics subsystem, a large-format, high-resolution display; and a high-volume, high-speed data bus. Operational capabilities are enhanced through a Link-16 Theater Data Link, Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, advanced weapons, precision GPS navigation, and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).
Photo credit: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK via Wikipedia
