Aircraft

The Chilean air force has received the first six of 18 ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BMs during a ceremony at its Cerro Moreno airbase.

Accepted on 8 September, Chile's first batch of secondhand aircraft - three single-seat fighters and three two-seat trainers - arrived at the site following a delivery flight from Twenthe airbase in the Netherlands via the Canary Islands and Brazil. The aircraft were supported by a Dutch air force McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 tanker-transport, with additional equipment delivered using a Volga-Dnepr Airlines Ilyushin Il-76.

The aircraft, which underwent inspection and painting at Fokker Services' Woensdrecht facility prior to their transfer, will bolster Santiago's future fleet of 10 new-build F-16C/Ds. Four of these have now been delivered, according to Flight's MiliCAS database, with deliveries of the six single-seat Cs and four two-seat Ds to conclude in 2007.

Chile's next batch of secondhand F-16s will be delivered early next year under the deal, which also includes the Netherlands' provision of training and technical assistance for a period of 20 months.