L-3 Wins Award for Taiwan F-16s at Luke

Defense News

03/03/2010

L-3 Wins Award for Taiwan F-16s at Luke

By Wendell Minnick

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace was awarded a $7.8 million contract Tuesday to provide aircraft flight-line maintenance for F-16 aircraft and add sharpshooter targeting pod maintenance in support of Taiwan's F-16 program at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.

The contract was awarded by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The contracting activity was Randolph Air Force Base, Texas.

Taiwan's 21st Tactical Fighter Squadron, "The Gamblers," has been based at Luke since the 1990s for training. The squadron is made up of 12 F-16A/B Block 20 fighter aircraft.

Taiwan has been unsuccessfully attempting to procure 66 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 since 2006 to replace aging F-5 Tigers. If the sale goes forward, a second squadron of F-16s is expected to be based at Luke.