Combat use of F-16s in Mideast spurs fresh demand: Lockheed

[uawchild]

"Combat use of Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) F-16 fighter jets in air strikes over Yemen, Syria and Iraq is spurring fresh demand for the warplane, which has sold 4,588 times and is in use by 27 countries, according to Lockheed officials.

Randy Howard, director of Lockheed's integrated fighter group, told Reuters that current F-16 orders would keep the production line running through the fourth quarter of 2017, but other opportunities in Indonesia, the Gulf, eastern Europe and other regions could extend the line well into 2019 and beyond.

Rick Groesch, regional vice president for Lockheed in the Middle East, said a number of countries in the Gulf already operated F-16 jets, but others were taking a closer look after seeing successful use of the jets against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq, and insurgents in Yemen.

Combat operations are "certainly opening the eyes of the various air forces to the sense that it makes to have interoperability with your neighbor if you’re flying," Groesch told Reuters.

Lockheed has sold F-16s to Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and United Arab Emirates, but remains in discussions with Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia about other potential opportunities, Groesch said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/09/us-dubai-airshow-lockheed-fighter-idUSKCN0SY0VD20151109?mod=related&channelName=Aerospace#8ypfZ6zlBwjZL6DQ.97

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War is good for business! It's sad that the "defense industries", read arms manufacturing and sales, is one of the last strong manufacturing sectors left in the American economy.

[Fred Sanders]

1. A brave socialist would make massive shrinking of the military budget the top priority in order to

have the funds available to balance out of kilter income equality.

The unbalance is due in no small part to the military grown so massively fat consuming half the budget pie at every meal.

[-none]

2. Any President that tried that would be kennedyed.

[packman]

3. The business of death

Sadly war is good for business. America, the "Christian" country needs to read that book about turning swords into plowshares.

[Mendocino]

4. The top arms

exporters in the world are the United States, Russia, China, France, United Kingdom and Germany. All but Germany are permanent members of the UN Security Council. War is ingrained into the global economy and organizations purportedly established to prevent it.