On Monday, September 22, 2025, the F-16 FMS Contracting Office, part of the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center (AFLCMC) under the USAF Logistics Command at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Defense, signed a contract worth 25,998,051 USD with Lockheed Martin Systems (part of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Corp.) to provide support services for the operation of Ukraine’s fleet of multirole F-16AM/BM aircraft.
Photos: Ukrnafta
This is contract No. FA8232-22-D-0004 under the IDIQ (indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity) framework for technical and engineering services through the F-16 program office as part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Lockheed Martin, heading the so-called Falcon Enterprise, was the sole bidder. The work will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas, and is scheduled for completion by May 30, 2029.
Funding is provided by Building Partner Capacity resources under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), as approved within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement No. KA-D-QAE. The full amount was obligated at the time of the contract signing with Lockheed Martin.
On May 2 of this year, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) published the U.S. State Department’s approval of a potential sale to Ukraine of an F-16 sustainment support package worth up to 310.5 million USD. At that time, the government in Kyiv requested the acquisition of a package of training services and sustainment support for the F-16s along with related equipment.
The Ukrainian Air Force (Povitryani Syly Zbroinykh Syl Ukrayiny, PS ZSU) currently operates several dozen F-16AM/BM aircraft. As of June, 50 out of 95 pledged had been delivered, originating from donations by Denmark (12 of 19), the Kingdom of the Netherlands (24 of 24), and Norway (14 of 30). The remaining 30 from Belgium are delayed. However, four aircraft have been lost so far. Additionally, the U.S. has transferred at least three non-flyable F-16ADF units for use as spare parts. Local teams have also developed a mobile aircraft maintenance complex known as Project 61 (see main photo).
Ukrainian F-16s are armed with short-range AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and medium-range AIM-120B AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) air-to-air missiles, employed to shoot down Russian drones and cruise missiles (and even a Su-35S), as well as GPS-guided glide bombs GBU-39/B SDB I (Small Diameter Bomb). Ukraine also possesses newer AIM-120C and AIM-9X missiles, though the latter are assigned to NASAMS air defense systems. The aircraft are additionally equipped with AN/ALQ-131(V) ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) pods.
The previous F-16 support package was approved by the administration of then-President Joe Biden on December 10, 2024, with a maximum value of 266.4 million USD. Earlier information on support for Ukraine’s F-16s included a September 20, 2024, contract for the delivery of two landing aid system sets from Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corp., as well as enhancements to aircraft combat capability and survivability through the development, testing, and delivery of a full spectrum of electronic warfare software support, reported on August 26, 2024.