SLEP for US Air Force F-16

THE US Air Force has authorised a service life extension for its F-16 Block 40/42/50/52 fleet, numbering up to 300 aircraft. The Lockheed Martin Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) will incorporate structural modifications to increase the F-16’s original design service life of 8,000hrs to 12,000 equivalent flight hours. The USAF will be able to operate the aircraft until at least 2048. The USAF and Lockheed Martin also expect a reduction in service life costs. “Combined with F-16 avionics modernisation programmes