­The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Chile of equipment and related services for F-16 Modernization for an estimated cost of $634.70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

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FaCH F-16C block 50 #853 from Grupo 3 flies over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile on October 19th, 2007. The aircraft is participating in WILLKA 2007, a bilateral exercise between U.S. and Chilean Air Forces. (Picture source: USAF photo by MSgt. Bill Kimble)

The Government of Chile has requested to buy equipment and related services for F-16 Modernization to include: nineteen (19) Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS); six (6) inert MK-82 (500LB) general-purpose bomb bodies; two (2) MXU-650KB AirFoil Groups (AFG); forty-four (44) LN-260 Embedded GPS/INS (EGI); forty-nine (49) Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radios (MIDS JTRS).

Also included are avionics and Mode 5 equipment and software upgrades, integration, and test; software and software support; ARC-238 Radios; Combined Altitude Radar Altimeters (CARA); Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) support; Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) AN/APX-126 Combined Interrogator Transponders, cryptographic appliques, keying equipment, and encryption devices; weapon system spares and support; bomb components; High-Bandwidth Compact Telemetry Modules (HCTMs); secure communications and precision navigation equipment; aircraft displays; additional spare and repair/return parts; publications, charts, and technical documentation; integration and test equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $634.70 million.

This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a strategic partner in South America.

The proposed sale will improve Chile’s capability to meet current and future threats by modernizing its F-16 fleet, which will allow Chile to maintain sovereignty and homeland defense, increase interoperability with the United States and other partners, and deter potential adversaries. Chile will have no difficulty absorbing the upgrades into its armed forces.

The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, MD. There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.