GREENVILLE / RABAT — Lockheed Martin has successfully executed the maiden flight of the Royal Moroccan Air Force’s (RMAF) first F-16 Block 72 multirole fighter aircraft at its production line in Greenville, South Carolina.
The flight test represents a major milestone in Morocco’s $3.8 billion defense contract signed in 2019 for 25 new-build F-16 Block 72 aircraft (25 F-16C/D Vipers). The platform features desert camouflage and RMAF roundels and will undergo rigorous production acceptance testing before initial delivery to Morocco. Parallel to this acquisition, a separate $985.2 million program is upgrading Morocco’s active fleet of 23 F-16 Block 52+ fighters to the common F-16V Block 72 standard.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: LOCKHEED MARTIN F-16 BLOCK 72 (VIPER) 
* Aircraft Classification: 4.5-Generation Multirole All-Weather Fighter Aircraft
* Developer & Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
* Propulsion & Powerplant:
* Engine Type: 1 × Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 afterburning turbofan
* Thrust Output: 29,100 lbf (129.4 kN) with afterburner
* Note: Block 72 designation indicates Pratt & Whitney propulsion (Block 70 utilizes General Electric F110-GE-129)
* Airframe & Service Life:
* Length / Wingspan / Height: 15.03 m / 9.45 m / 5.09 m
* Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW): 21,772 kg (48,000 lbs)
* Design Service Life: Extended 12,000-hour airframe life
* Avionics & Radar Suite:
* Primary Radar: Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 SABR Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
* Mission Computer: High-speed Advanced Modular Mission Computer (MMC)
* Flight Control: Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) with Auto-GCAS (Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System)
* Pilot Interface: High-resolution Center Pedestal Display (CPD), Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II (JHMCS II), and 3D Audio Intercom
* Electronic Warfare & Survivability:
* Integrated Internal Electronic Warfare (EW) suite, radar warning receiver (RWR), and digital threat warning system
* Operational Performance & Weapon Integration:
* Speed & Ceiling: Mach 2.0+ (~2,120 km/h) | Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
* Weapon Stores: 9 external hardpoints supporting AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM, AIM-9X Sidewinder, GBU-39 SDB, GBU-54 Laser JDAM, and AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods
