F-16Vs for Bahrain

The US government has approved the planned Bahraini order for 20 new-build F-16V fighters, as well as the upgrade of its current fleet of F-16C/Ds to the same standard. On 8 September, the Defence Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) made two separate announcements confirming State Department approval of the possible Foreign Military Sales. The $2.785bn new-build deal involves 19 F-16Vs as well as support and equipment including 22 F110-GE-129 engines, 22 AN/APG-83 active electronically scanned array radars and a similar number of modular mission computers, embedded LN260 inertial navigation system/GPS and Improved Programmable Display Generators. Valued at $1.082bn, the proposed upgrade will bring 20 F-16C/D Block 40 aircraft to F-16V configuration.