Jordan places new F-16s under contract

With older F-16s (pictured) already in service, Jordan is now to receive the latest Block 70 aircraft. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

Jordan has signed for new F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft, with Lockheed Martin telling Janes that the previous letter of acceptance (LOA) has now been firmed up into a contract.

With Jordan signing its LOA for eight Block 70/72 aircraft in June 2022, Lockheed Martin said on 11 January that this had now become a contract for 12 Block 70 aircraft (the Block 70 is powered by the General Electric F100-GE-129D engine rather than the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW229EEP engine of the Block 72).

While the original February 2022 US State Department approval was for 12 single-seat F-16Cs and four twin-seat F-16Ds, Lockheed Martin did not break down the split of the 12 contracted F-16C/D aircraft.

The F-16 is the core of Jordan's combat aviation capabilities, having received its first second-hand aircraft from the United States in 1997. As noted by Janes World Air Forces , the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) fields 43 F-16A and 18 F-16B Fighting Falcons.

Over recent years, the RJAF has been upgrading its aircraft with the addition of the Link 16 datalink, Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ‐33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, and DB‐110 reconnaissance pods. In February 2021 the US government approved the founding of an F-16 Air Combat Training Center (ACTC) in Jordan.