Prospects may be improving for Lockheed Martin to soon book more orders for Fort Worth-built F-16 fighter jets.
Iraq's on-again, off-again plans for buying F-16s may be back on again. In addition, Oman and the United Arab Emirates are reportedly again talking to the U.S. government and Lockheed about F-16s after they could not agree on terms for buying French fighter jets.Lockheed officials confirmed reports that they had been in contact with the three Middle East nations about F-16 sales, but they declined to provide specifics."The potential for international sales is still strong," Lockheed spokeswoman Laura Siebert said. "We've been in constant dialogue with the U.S. Air Force about the needs of Iraq. There has been dialogue with U.A.E. They want more F-16s."An Air Force official in the foreign military sales department could not be reached Wednesday for comment.Lockheed is eager to book new F-16 orders to keep its production and supply lines running, both at the company's Fort Worth plant and among major suppliers locally and around the world.At the end of May, Lockheed had 62 unfilled F-16 orders -- enough to keep the final assembly line open only through mid-2013. Production of many parts and components often begins two or more years before final assembly.About 2,000 workers are directly employed by Lockheed in Fort Worth on the F-16 program and many more at companies in the region that manufacture or supply structural parts and other key components.The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that government officials in Iraq and Oman had once again approached the U.S. about buying jets after halting negotiations several months ago because of the unrest in the Middle East.Iraq and the U.S. began discussions on F-16s in 2008, with Iraq reportedly seeking 36 jets. Last October, the Pentagon notified Congress of a plan to sell Iraq 18 F-16s plus weapons, spare parts and equipment for $4.2 billion. But that deal has not yet culminated in an order. The Journal reported that Iraq now is interested in ordering 18 immediately and 18 more later.U.S. and Iraqi officials say the country needs its own air force to provide security when U.S. forces leave the region."I can't imagine [an Iraqi order] not happening," said Richard Aboulafia, a Teal Group aerospace industry analyst. "I just don't know how real it is right now."Lockheed's fond hopes for landing an order from India for more than 100 F-16s came crashing down in April when that nation eliminated the F-16, as well as Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet, from consideration.The Pentagon announced last August that Oman wanted to buy 18 more F-16s, in addition to the dozen it purchased several years ago. But that too never resulted in an order.France had been wooing both Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Aboulafia said. The latter country is "disenchanted with the French offer" and financial terms for the Dassault Rafale fighter.Lockheed built 80 F-16s for the Emirates from 2004 through 2007, a much updated version of the aircraft designed specifically for that nation.Bob Cox, 817-390-7723Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
