Lockheed expects to begin deliveries of F-16 combat jets in 2024
(Reuters) – Lockheed Martin Corp expects to provide its new-build F-16 fighter jets subsequent 12 months and begin deliveries in 2024, its chief monetary officer Jesus Malave stated on Wednesday.
The corporate has an inventory of key U.S. allies together with Bahrain, Taiwan, Slovakia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia keen to buy the jet.
Malave flagged that hiring new workforce and coaching staff to construct the plane was a “little little bit of a problem” for the corporate than anticipated.
“So the ramp is taking a bit of bit longer. In consequence, we are going to most likely see some price burden on our preliminary contract there,” Malave stated whereas talking at the usGlobal Industrials and Transportation Convention.
The F-16 is taken into account a extremely maneuverable plane confirmed in air-to-air fight and air-to-surface assault.
In April, the U.S. State Division accepted the potential sale of as much as eight F-16 plane and associated tools to Bulgaria, in a deal valued at $1.673 billion, and stated Lockheed would be the principal contractor.
“There’s a number of curiosity within the plane. I feel an aspiration most likely the following few years can be most likely [production of] 3 per 30 days,” Malave added.
(Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Modifying by Krishna Chandra Eluri)
