The US Air Force has authorized the extend of the service life of the F-16 fighters to 12,000 Equivalent Flight Hours and keep them in service until 2048 and beyond. According to Lockheed Martin's announcement on 12 April, the F-16 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) will see some structural modifications which is to add 4,000 more hours to the aircraft’s original design service life when combined with avionics modernization programs, such as F-16V.Â
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)