BAE to upgrade South Korean F-16s

07 August 2012

BAE Systems is to upgrade more than 130 South Korean F-16 fighter aircraft after winning a contract worth an estimated $1bn, it has been announced.

The deal, which has been won by BAE's US-based Support Solutions business, will be contracted through the US Department of Defence's Foreign Military Sales Programme.

South Korea's jets, built by Korean Airspace Industries, are a variant of the Lockheed Martin F-16, and BAE saw off competition from Lockheed in bidding for the business.

BAE currently provides 40 per cent of the 'mission equipment' for the world's 3,000 F-16s and supports 270 of the U.S. Air National Guard's upgraded F-16s and 50 of the Turkish Air Force's upgraded F-16s.

"This selection further demonstrates that we are a leading provider of integration, avionics and mission computers for F-16s, and we will continue to offer our capability to customers across the globe," said Gordon Eldridge, vice president and general manager of Support Solutions' Aerospace Solutions business area.

For the Korean fleet, BAE Systems will carry out systems engineering and integration, software and electronics engineering, obsolescence management and logistics support.

The company's upgrades will also include the Commercial Fire Control Computer, and the work will be carried out in the USA.