In the hangars of the Hellenic Aviation Industry are still 12 aircraft under upgrade from the five Squadrons that have the 83 F-16 block 52+ and block 52+ Adv fighters.
After the Rafale, it is a matter of a few months now that the first of the 83 F-16 fighters, which are being upgraded to a Viper configuration, is included in our Air Force arsenal. In the morning, an American pilot of the construction company Lockheed Martin made the first test flight from the 114th Fighter Wing of one of the two fighters in which the upgrade works in the Greek Aviation Industry have already been completed. With the information stating that the car fighter flew without the slightest problem. All the new systems worked flawlessly and not the slightest observation was recorded both during the flight which lasted about an hour and after the landing of the aircraft. The exact same process is expected to be repeated again tomorrow morning with the flying tester taking off the second upgraded single-seat fighter.
The previous weeks were preceded by intensive tests of the two fighters on the ground with engine start and control of all electronic and other systems of the two integrated fighters by a ladder of technicians of ODA with the assistance of LM executives. While already in the hangars of the Hellenic Aviation Industry are still 12 aircraft under upgrade from the five War Squadrons that have the 83 F-16 block 52+ and block 52+ Adv fighters.
In recent months, ODA technicians have been on an open line with the US and Fort Worth Air Base in Texas, where the original F-16 fighter, which is expected by the end of the summer, has been transported and tested to the last detail since last summer. to be certified by Lockheed Martin and USAF and to return to Greece. All the remarks of the Americans went directly to the fighters that are being upgraded at the ODA factory in Tanagra. As a result, the first flight this morning of the first Greek Viper at the Athens FIR took place with excellent results.
According to the schedule by the end of 2022 the first four upgraded Vipers should have been delivered by ODA to our Air Force, but as Newpost reported, the fact that the program is running smoothly leaves much room for optimism for additional delivery to HAF at least two more fighters. With the plan to predict that the first “vipers” will fly to Souda and the 115th Battle Wing which will be the first “nest” of the mighty fighters.
It is essentially a new fighter since in addition to the AESA digital scanning radar it will have a number of new systems and the ability to carry new weapons. Especially the AESA radar as emphasized by the Greek “hawks” gives huge operational capabilities to the Vipers in contrast to the Turkish fighters which do not have AESA technology radar. Thus, the 83 “snakes”, which are also the “backbone” of our Air Force, gain a great advantage over the inferior TuAF aircraft. Together with the 24 Rafale – the capabilities of which are already frightening the neighbors – they will be an insurmountable nightmare for the Turkish Air Force over the Aegean.
