The US government has awarded an initial $213 million order to Lockheed Martin, for long-lead tasks for the production of 20 new Advanced Block 52 F-16 aircraft for Egypt.

'This marks the 53rd follow-on buy of F-16s by 14 repeat customers. The aircraft we will deliver to Egypt will join the fleet of more than 4,400 F-16s representing 25 nations,' said John Larson, vice president, Lockheed Martin F-16 programs.

The new aircraft order includes 16 F-16Cs and 4 F-16Ds, and will supplement the Egyptian Air Force's (EAF) existing fleet of F-16s and contribute to the modernisation of the EAF. The final Egyptian F-16 under this contract will be delivered in 2013.

Egypt was the first Arab country to purchase F-16s through a Foreign Military Sales program called Peace Vector.

The Egyptian Air Force received a total of 42 F-16s in its first order in 1980 and since then has purchased five more lots of aircraft, for a total of 240 F-16 Fighting Falcons.-TradeArabia News Service