Lockheed Martin F-16E Block 60
On the 12th of May 1998 the United Arab Emirates made the descision to
order the latest incarnation of the famous Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter.
The version the UAE chose is designated the F-16E Block 60 and is equipped
with CFTs (Conformal Fuel Tanks) and internally-mounted FLIR (Forward
Looking Infra Red Radar).The purchase includes 80 aircraft, of which 55 are E-models and 25 are two-seat F-models. The first United Arab Emirates air force (UAEAF) F-16 Block 60 made its maiden flight from Lockheed's Fort Worth facility on 6 December 2003.
In excess of 12 F-16E/Fs were in the UAE by late summer 2005, with at least as many at Tucson IAP, AZ, where UAE pilots and maintainers are being trained.
The Block 60 Desert Falcon configuration includes the APG-80 agile beam radar, an internalised forward-looking infra-red targeting system, a new cockpit, internal electronic countermeasures, enhanced-performance F110-GE-132 engine and conformal fuel tanks. The UAE purchased US$2 billion worth of sophisticated armament for its F-16s, including 491 AIM-120B AMRAAMs, 267 AIM-9M Sidewinders, 163 AGM-88 HARMs, 1,163 AGM-65D/G Mavericks, 52 AGM-84 Harpoons, laser-guided bombs and 20-mm ammunition
