Friday, September 2, 2011

DTN News - CHILE DEFENSE NEWS: Final Ex-Dutch F-16s Delivered To Chile

DTN News - CHILE DEFENSE NEWS: Final Ex-Dutch F-16s Delivered To Chile

(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - September 2, 2011: The final batch of surplus refurbished F-16s left Volkel Air Base on Monday, 29 August 2011 heading to there new home in Chile. Thus ending a contract agreed between the governments of the Netherlands and Chile in early June 2009.

This batch of six aircraft from a total of 18 fighters marks the end of a long transfer process, as agreed between the governments of the Netherlands and Chile in early June 2009. On Monday, five aircraft took off from their former home base; one straggler, which could not leave on time, followed the next day.

The sale of Dutch surplus F-16 Mid-life Upgrade (MLU) fighters to Chile began on 1 June 2010 with the official hand-over of the first F-16s to the Chilean Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile, FACh). However, the aircraft were first refurbished in the Netherlands. The first batch of six aircraft left on 5 November 2010. A second batch, bound for Chile, took off from Volkel on 6 April 2011.

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