The
State Department signed off on a $150 million follow-on support and logistics
contract for the Bahraini air force’s fleet of F-16s, citing the need to
maintain the fleet’s readiness in the midst of increased operations tempo in
support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency
announced.
The contract will cover “follow on support and associated equipment, parts, and
logistics” for the Royal Bahrain Air Force’s fleet of 17 F-16s, including
support equipment, communications gear, ammunition, training, spare and repair
parts, instructional documents, engineering support, and other program support
tasks. The Royal Bahrain Air Force’s F-16s are “aging and periodic maintenance
is becoming increasingly expensive,” the announcement states. In addition, the
fleet age, combined with an “increased operational tempo” due to the RBAF’s
involvement in Operation Inherent Resolve, has led to an “increased focus” on
maintaining and sustaining the fighter fleet. The principal contractor has not
been identified, nor has a timeframe for the support been established. Bahrain
is one of several Gulf Cooperation Council states that have participated in
strikes on
ISIS
targets in Syria since September 2014.
