Lockheed Martin delivered the first of 36 F-16 Block 52 aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force during a ceremony today at its Fort Worth (Texas) facility.

Lockheed Martin is producing the F-16s under a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense. The F-16s are being built in a configuration tailored to meet the specific requirements of the Iraqi Air Force, and the contract includes mission equipment and a support package provided by Lockheed Martin and other U.S. and international contractors.

“Iraq joins 27 other nations around the world who depend on the F-16 Fighting Falcon to maintain peace and security,” said Orlando Carvalho, Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

“We are proud to play a role in the defense of a new democracy and look forward to strengthening our partnership with Iraq,” he added.

This year the F-16 Fighting Falcon celebrates 40 years of evolution, and it remains the safest and most effective 4th generation multi-role fighter in the world. The F-16 will continue to be the backbone of the U.S. Air Force for years to come, assuring proven support and sustainment throughout the life of Iraq's F-16 program. More than 4,540 F-16 aircraft have been delivered to date, and production is expected to continue through 2017, with major upgrades being incorporated for all F-16 versions.

Caption: Iraq’s ambassador to the U.S., Lukman Faily, highlights the importance of partnership between Iraq and the United States during a ceremony marking the delivery of the first Iraq F-16 Fighting Falcon at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility.