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The first of thirty-four refurbished F-16A and B aircraft to be provided to Italy under a program known as Peace Caesar was rolled out in 9 May ceremonies at the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah. The first aircraft was delivered in June, and the final aircraft is expected to be delivered in November 2004. The Italian Air Force chose to lease F-16s as the most cost-effective solution to replace its aging fleet of Tornado and F-104 fighters. Approximately 100 AMI maintenance officers, instructors, and technicians are receiving F-16 maintenance training at Lockheed Martin facilities in Fort Worth, Texas. In-country Italian instructors will train an additional 181 Italian maintenance technicians. Brought to Ogden ALC from the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, the first five F-16s went through 220 days of refurbishment and upgrades, including replacing some bulkheads around fuel cell panels and wheel-wells, refurbishing the landing gear, replacing the wheel-well bulkhead, and replacing the flight control actuators. |
