Primul aparat F-16C/D Block 50/52 irakian, din cele 36 comandate, a executat primul sau zbor pe 7 mai, in Fort Worth – Texas, urmand ca aparatul sa fie livrat catre Bagdad foarte curand. Avionul care a deschis seria fiind un F-16D cu doua locuri.
Prima transa care va ajunge in Irak va fi formata din 18 aparate, iar conform celor de la Defense Security and Co-operation Agency (DSCA), aparatele sunt dotate astfel: Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems, rezervoare conforme, motoare Pratt & Whitney F100PW-229 sau General Electric F110-GE-129, radar AN/APG-68(V)9, AN/AAQ-33 Sniper sau AN/AAQ-28 Litening, AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites sau Advanced Countermeasures Electronic Systems (ACES), AN/ALE-47 sistem de dispersie contramasuri.
Ca armament: tun M61 20 mm Vulcan, AIM-9L/M-8/9 Sidewinder, AIM-7M-F1/H Sparrow, AGM-65D/G/H/K Maverick, bombe ghidate GBU-12 Paveway II, GBU-10 Paveway II si GBU-24 Paveway III, plus bombe clasice Mk 84 si Mk 82. Lipseste, previzibil as spune, AIM-120 AMMRAM, americanii oferind doar Sparrow.
GeorgeGMT
Sursa: Jane’s