New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia
This budget will be spent over the next four years and nearly doubles the country’s defence spending as part of GDP to 2%.
Lockheed Martin poised to continue Belgian F-16 support via FMS
Belgian Air Component F-16As. (Photo: NATO)
Additional support from Lockheed Martin for Belgian F-16As would supplement an existing FMS case.
Lockheed Martin is set to benefit from a potential $127 million FMS contract to help sustain the Belgian Air Component’s fleet of F-16A Fighting Falcons, after the US State Department announced its approval of the deal on 19 July.
The Belgian government is requesting additional F-16 sustainment support that will be added to a previously implemented FMS case worth $98.4 million.
As with the earlier case, the new potential FMS contract would include the sustainment of AN/ARC-210 radios, classified software, EW databases, munitions and aircraft support equipment, and other features such as IT support.
‘The proposed sale will improve Belgium’s capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet in combat-ready status and providing rotational forces to NATO’s Eastern flank,’ the State Department noted.
A detachment of Belgian F-16s happened to be in Estonia conducting enhanced air policing in the Baltics when Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. The F-16s were later employed for enhanced Air Vigilance policing (also from a base in Estonia) that ended on 20 July.
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