Lockheed Martin Is Giving Peru a Great Deal on F-16 Fighter Jets

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Lockheed Martin has agreed to double its F-16 order to the Peruvian Air Force for only $80 million more.

Aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin may be looking to ensure that Peru doesn’t have second thoughts about its selection of the F-16 Fighting Falcon over the Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen E/F and France’s Rafale. The government of President José Balcázar confirmed last month that the F-16, which is produced at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, facility, had been selected as the new fighter for the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Peruvian Air Force).

As previously reported, the Gripen seemed to have the inside track and was the odds-favored aircraft, largely due to its lower operating costs and its ability to operate from remote and even austere airbases. The F-16 requires more dedicated infrastructure, and each flight hour costs more. However, in the statement announcing its selection of the F-16, Lima noted the American-made warbird had slightly higher performance standards than the Gripen, leading to its adoption.

Lockheed Martin Is Now Giving Peru an Even Better Deal

Under the deal announced last month, the Peruvian Air Force (FAP) was set to receive a dozen Block 70 Fighting Falcons, including 10 single-seat F-16C models and a pair of two-seat F-16D models. All would be equipped with F110-GE-129 engines, AN/APG-83 AEAS radars, AN/AAQ-28 Litening precision targeting pods, and AN/ALQ-254 “Viper Shield” electronic warfare (EW) systems.

The aerospace firm reportedly improved its original offer of 12 F-16 Block 70 fighters for $3.42 billion, doubling it to 24 Fighting Falcons for $3.5 billion—12 additional F-16s for only $80 million, less than the cost of a single one of the aircraft.

Under the new deal, the effective per-unit cost for Lima will be around $140 million—a figure that also includes training, armaments, spare parts, and ongoing maintenance support.

The F-16 acquisition aligns with the Peruvian government’s desire to equip its air force with modern jet fighters to replace its aging fleet of Soviet-designed MiG-29 (NATO reporting name “Fulcrum”) and French-designed Mirage 2000 aircraft. The initial deal was to include an undisclosed number of AIM-120C-8 long-range air-to-air missiles and 12 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles for its F-16s, as well as M61A1 cannons and LAU-129 guided rocket launchers. In addition, the FAP would receive training and support for the F-16s.

Lima had sought to expand its order, and by offering fairly generous terms, Lockheed Martin may have ensured it will have a valuable customer in South America for years, or even decades, to come.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 70’s Specifications

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is already among the most successful fourth-generation fighters, with approximately 3,000 in service across 29 nations. The Block 70 variant is among the most advanced and capable versions of the Fighting Falcon produced.

Year Introduced: 2023

Length: 49.3 ft (15 m)

Wingspan: 31 ft (9.45 m)

Weight (MTOW): Approximately 48,000 lb (21,772 kg)

Engines: One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 afterburning turbofan

Top Speed: ~1,500 mph (2,414 km/h) / Mach 2.0

Range: ~1,740 nmi (2,000 miles, 3,220 km)

Service Ceiling: ~50,000 ft (15,240 m)

Loadout: Internal six-barrel M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon; nine hardpoints, including six under wings, two on the wingtips, and one under the fuselage; two additional locations under the fuselage for pods.

Crew: 1–2, depending on model

The F-16 Gets a Foothold in South America

The timeline for the delivery of Peru’s Fighting Falcons hasn’t been confirmed, but could begin before the end of the decade.

Once they are in service, the FAP’s F-16s will operate alongside F-16s in several other air forces across Latin America. Argentina is now completing the purchase of its secondhand F-16s from Denmark; it received the first batch of the aircraft last December. Venezuela, a longtime US adversary, also operates a handful of the aircraft, having bought them in the 1990s prior to the rise to power of Hugo Chavez.

Conversely, Brazil and Colombia turned down the F-16 in favor of the Gripen, securing a foothold in South America for the Swedish warbird. With the Peruvian acquisition, however, Lockheed Martin has secured a foothold on the continent—and if the new F-16 variant is as capable as it claims, that foothold may grow over time.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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