European Politics
- Thread starter Forostar
- Start date
most common fighter in the worldThe Portuguese have F-16s?!
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Here is a table of F-16s in the European Union (not sure how reliable wiki is but it's just to give an idea):
Greece 157
Denmark 72
Netherlands 68
Belgium 49
Poland 48
Portugal 18
Romania 12
edit:
Norway also has F-16s. See below
Greece 157 Denmark 72 Netherlands 68 Belgium 49 Poland 48 Portugal 18 Romania 12edit:
Norway also has F-16s. See below
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Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
Outside the EU, therefore not in Foro's list, but Norway has 50+ F-16s.
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Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Some of those are from Dutch and USA origin. If that's how to interpret this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Norwegian_Air_Force#Aircraft_inventory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Norwegian_Air_Force#Aircraft_inventory
4540 built. By comparison:
F-18: 1480
F-22: 195
Dassault Rafale: 133
Typhoon: 418
MiG 29: 1600
MiG 31: 500
Su-30: 509
J-7: 500
J-10: 250
F-18: 1480
F-22: 195
Dassault Rafale: 133
Typhoon: 418
MiG 29: 1600
MiG 31: 500
Su-30: 509
J-7: 500
J-10: 250
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
Any reason why you don't think they are all built eitner in the US or in Netherlands? Are F-16s manufactured in more places?
I had no idea any had been licence built, actually.
Yeah, Fokker built quite a few.
They were manufactured in Belgium, Netherlands, and Turkey. Netherlands sold some of their stock (all of which was domestically produced) to Norway recently as they start to ramp up to the F-35 program.
Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
But the Turkey-built F-16s were all built for the Turkish themselves, right?
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Interesting info LC.
Found some more:
Netherlands
The Netherlands was one of the four start-up European NATO F-16 customers, along with Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. The initial Dutch order included 102 aircraft to be assembled at Fokker. This line first opened for business in April 1978, and was the second of the European F-16 final assembly lines to open. (SABCA in Belgium was the first.) The first Dutch-built F-16 took off on its maiden flight on May 3, 1979. Initial delivery of the F-16A/B to the Dutch Air Force took place in June 1979. In December 1983, the Dutch Parliament approved plans to increase its purchase of F-16s from 102 to 213 aircraft. In 1989, the Netherlands ordered an attrition replacement of 10 F-16As. The last F-16 rolled off the line at Fokker's Schiphol plant in February 1990.
Norway
In 1970, Norway started looking for a replacement for its aging fleet of F-104 Starfighters. On July 21, 1975, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark ordered the F-16. Together, they formed the European consortium that was to build the F-16 under license. Norway acquired 72 F-16s from the Netherlands' Fokker production line between January 1980 and June 1984. The first Fighting Falcon for the Royal Norwegian Air Force took off on its maiden flight on December 12, 1979.
Turkey
In September 1983, the government of Turkey announced plans to buy 160 F-16s under the Peace Onyx I program, which operates under the Foreign Military Sales program. The first eight aircraft in the order were built at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, with the remaining 152 aircraft assembled in Turkey at TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) at Murted. TUSAS is an acronym for Tusas Ucak Sanayii AS, or Turkish Aircraft Industries, a company owned jointly by Turkish and American shareholders. The Turkish Air Force received its first two F-16s as assembly kits in March 1987. Turkey officially received its first F-16D in July 1987. The first Turkish F-16s arrived at Murted Air Base in October 1987, followed by the first flight of a Turkish-built F-16 on October 20, 1987. Starting with the 44th aircraft, all Turkish Air Force F-16s from the first batch were manufactured to Block 40 standards. The first 43 F-16s were Block 30 versions. TAI has also been awarded a contract to build wings, center fuselages, and aft fuselages for U.S. Air Force F-16s. They have also been awarded a contract to build 46 Block 40 F-16C/Ds for the Egyptian Air Force under the Peace Vector IV program. In March of 1992, a follow-on order for 80 Block 50 F-16Ds was placed under the Peace Onyx II Foreign Military Sales program. TAI delivered these aircraft from TAI from 1996 to 1999.
On May 11th, 2007 the governments of Turkey and the United States signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the sale of 30 additional Lockheed Martin Advanced F-16 Block 50 aircraft to Turkey. The new aircraft will supplement the Turkish Air Force's (TUAF) existing fleet of F-16s and contribute to the upgrade and modernization of the TUAF. The new aircraft include the same advanced systems being installed on Turkey's existing F-16 fleet as part of an on-going upgrade program. At the conclusion of these two programs all Turkish F-16s will be in a common, state-of-the-art configuration. The total LOA value for the 30 aircraft and equipment is approximately $1.8 billion (U.S.). Lockheed Martin and its supplier base will receive approximately $1.1 billion of this amount. Final assembly and delivery of the aircraft will be performed at TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) in Turkey, furthering the longstanding business relationship between Lockheed Martin and TAI.
Found some more:
Netherlands
The Netherlands was one of the four start-up European NATO F-16 customers, along with Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. The initial Dutch order included 102 aircraft to be assembled at Fokker. This line first opened for business in April 1978, and was the second of the European F-16 final assembly lines to open. (SABCA in Belgium was the first.) The first Dutch-built F-16 took off on its maiden flight on May 3, 1979. Initial delivery of the F-16A/B to the Dutch Air Force took place in June 1979. In December 1983, the Dutch Parliament approved plans to increase its purchase of F-16s from 102 to 213 aircraft. In 1989, the Netherlands ordered an attrition replacement of 10 F-16As. The last F-16 rolled off the line at Fokker's Schiphol plant in February 1990.
Norway
In 1970, Norway started looking for a replacement for its aging fleet of F-104 Starfighters. On July 21, 1975, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Denmark ordered the F-16. Together, they formed the European consortium that was to build the F-16 under license. Norway acquired 72 F-16s from the Netherlands' Fokker production line between January 1980 and June 1984. The first Fighting Falcon for the Royal Norwegian Air Force took off on its maiden flight on December 12, 1979.
Turkey
In September 1983, the government of Turkey announced plans to buy 160 F-16s under the Peace Onyx I program, which operates under the Foreign Military Sales program. The first eight aircraft in the order were built at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, with the remaining 152 aircraft assembled in Turkey at TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) at Murted. TUSAS is an acronym for Tusas Ucak Sanayii AS, or Turkish Aircraft Industries, a company owned jointly by Turkish and American shareholders. The Turkish Air Force received its first two F-16s as assembly kits in March 1987. Turkey officially received its first F-16D in July 1987. The first Turkish F-16s arrived at Murted Air Base in October 1987, followed by the first flight of a Turkish-built F-16 on October 20, 1987. Starting with the 44th aircraft, all Turkish Air Force F-16s from the first batch were manufactured to Block 40 standards. The first 43 F-16s were Block 30 versions. TAI has also been awarded a contract to build wings, center fuselages, and aft fuselages for U.S. Air Force F-16s. They have also been awarded a contract to build 46 Block 40 F-16C/Ds for the Egyptian Air Force under the Peace Vector IV program. In March of 1992, a follow-on order for 80 Block 50 F-16Ds was placed under the Peace Onyx II Foreign Military Sales program. TAI delivered these aircraft from TAI from 1996 to 1999.
On May 11th, 2007 the governments of Turkey and the United States signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the sale of 30 additional Lockheed Martin Advanced F-16 Block 50 aircraft to Turkey. The new aircraft will supplement the Turkish Air Force's (TUAF) existing fleet of F-16s and contribute to the upgrade and modernization of the TUAF. The new aircraft include the same advanced systems being installed on Turkey's existing F-16 fleet as part of an on-going upgrade program. At the conclusion of these two programs all Turkish F-16s will be in a common, state-of-the-art configuration. The total LOA value for the 30 aircraft and equipment is approximately $1.8 billion (U.S.). Lockheed Martin and its supplier base will receive approximately $1.1 billion of this amount. Final assembly and delivery of the aircraft will be performed at TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) in Turkey, furthering the longstanding business relationship between Lockheed Martin and TAI.
The F-16 was the largest international aircraft project since the end of WW2. So it's really quite the interesting story.
(What was the largest international aircraft project during WW2, you ask? Why, the Supermarine Spitfire, of course!)
(What was the largest international aircraft project during WW2, you ask? Why, the Supermarine Spitfire, of course!)
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
If Cameron and co want to break vital principles of the EU, tell them where the door is.
Angela Merkel warns David Cameron over freedom of movement
German chancellor rejects UK prime minister’s demands for a cap on unskilled migrants, according to Der Spiegel newspaper
David Cameron has been warned by German chancellor Angela Merkel that she would rather see the UK leave the European Union than change freedom of movement rules, according to reports.
Downing Street on Sunday did not deny that the conversation had taken place, after German newspaper Der Spiegel said Merkel had rejected Cameron’s demands for a cap on unskilled migrants. Sources told the newspaper that the chancellor said demands for any changes to freedom of movement rules represented a “point of no return” and that this would be it for the UK’s membership. ... (more via link)
Angela Merkel warns David Cameron over freedom of movement
German chancellor rejects UK prime minister’s demands for a cap on unskilled migrants, according to Der Spiegel newspaper
David Cameron has been warned by German chancellor Angela Merkel that she would rather see the UK leave the European Union than change freedom of movement rules, according to reports.
Downing Street on Sunday did not deny that the conversation had taken place, after German newspaper Der Spiegel said Merkel had rejected Cameron’s demands for a cap on unskilled migrants. Sources told the newspaper that the chancellor said demands for any changes to freedom of movement rules represented a “point of no return” and that this would be it for the UK’s membership. ... (more via link)
Germany has created a centre around which much of the EU revolves. There's a term for it.
bearfan
Ancient Mariner
Epicenter, core, bisection, pivot, pole, spindle, ... am I close?
almost there...