Elbit to provide F-5 fighter jet upgrade to undisclosed Asian customer

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World Defense & Security Industry News - Elbit Systems
 
 
Elbit to provide F-5 fighter jet upgrade to undisclosed Asian customer
 
Elbit Systems Ltd. announced today that it was awarded an approximately $93 million contract from an Asia-Pacific country to upgrade its F-5 aircraft fleet. The contract will be performed over a three-year period, the company said in an official statement.
     
A Royal Thai Air Force F-5E Tiger II
(Credit: RTAF)
     
Under the upgrade contract, Elbit Systems will supply the F-5 with cutting-edge systems, including Head-Up Displays (HUDs), an advanced cockpit, radars, weapon delivery and navigation systems, as well as DASH IV Head Mounted Systems.

Yoram Shmuely, Elbit Systems Aerospace Division's General Manager, commented: "We are proud to have been selected to perform this upgrade program, building on our vast know-how and experience in F-5 modernization projects. We have witnessed a growing demand for similar upgrades, and we trust that further customers will follow, benefiting from a mature aircraft upgraded with the most advanced technology in the market."

A few Asian countries are still flying the F-5 Tiger, such as Taïwan, Thailand, Singapore an South Korea, while some RF-5Es are reportedly still in service with the Royal Malaysian Air Force 12 Squadron at Butterworth AFB. In May 2017 it was also reported that Vietnam is considering refurbishing some of it aircraft and putting them back into service.