Bahrain has received its first single-seat Block 70-model F-16 from Lockheed Martin, as announced at the end of July. A video of the inaugural flight shows the aircraft, bearing the serial number EA1, displaying the Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) insignia and the tail number 1601, although these specifics were absent from subsequent still images shared by Lockheed.
OJ Sanchez, vice president of Lockheed’s Integrated Fighter Group, said that the jet “represents our continued commitment to push the boundaries of innovation and deliver next-generation capabilities.”
The F-16 Block 70/72 models are assembled at Lockheed’s South Carolina Greenville site. The company had previously delivered a two-seater model to the RBAF in February 2023, currently used for training purposes in the US.
Bahrain, currently maintaining a fleet of 21 older F-16C/Ds, is set to acquire 16 of these updated aircraft.