E está nas bancas a edição de Junho da AirForces Monthly, onde no "European Fighter Survey" é a vez de Portugal (entre outros países europeus).
Nada de realmente novo no artigo, dando a entender o que já se sabe, ou seja, que o presente e futuro próximos continuarão a ser os F-16 MLU actualizados e pouco mais.
AFM, June 2022
European Fighter Survey: Portugal
Sticking with Falcons
Portugal currently flies 25 Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM (MLU) Fighting Falcons – comprising 21 single seat F-16AMs and four two seat F-16BMs – from Base Aérea N° 5 (BA-5; Monte Real Air Base). The Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP; PortugueseAir Force) originally acquired a total of 45 F-16A/B Block 15 sunder the Peace Atlantis I and II programmes. Delivered in 1994, the first batch comprised 20 new build F-16A/B Block 15OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade) aircraft to equip Esquadra 201 (201 Squadron) ‘Falcões’. This comprised 17 single-seat and three dual-seat examples.
In 1999, the FAP received 25 ex-USAF Block 15OCUs (21 F-16As and four F-16Bs, five for use as spares) to establish Esquadra 301 ‘Jaguares’ at the same base. These were second hand fighters with around 3,000 flying hours to be upgraded to the Mid-Life Update (MLU). The Portuguese technicians had to upgrade both the avionics system and the airframe structure under the Falcon Up/Structural Life Improvements Program (SLIP). Due to this, the first F-16AM/BM (MLU) squadron – Esquadra 301 – only became operational in November 2005, while Esquadra 201 didn’t receive its upgraded F-16s until 2011.
Since then, the fleet has received mission software updates M2, M4, M5, M6 and S1 and has been equipped with night-vision goggles (NVGs), a joint helmet-mounted cueing system (JHMCS), Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-28(V)6 LITENING II advanced targeting pod, a night vision cueing and display (NVCD) system and GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs, GBU-31 joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) and GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway II dual-mode GPS/laser-guided bombs. The last modification implemented was S1.1 and there is likely to be just one further upgrade, given that the other European F-16 operators have opted to acquire the F-35A.
At an operational level, the FAP’s most important deployments have been in support of various NATO Air Policing missions in the Baltic region (in 2007, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021), Iceland (2012 and 2022), Romania (2015 and 2017) and Poland (2019). The Portuguese F-16s have also been involved in operational qualification exercises, like the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) and the Fighter Weapons Instructor Training (FWIT) course. The former sees Portuguese pilots complete courses to obtain a Mission Commander qualification, while the latter is intended to confer a tactical instructor rating.
In addition, FAP F-16s have been present at exercises in Portuguese territory, both with national and international forces. In this case, one highlight was NATO’s Exercise Trident Juncture, which last took place in Portugal in 2015. Equally important was the NATO Tiger Meet 2021 held at Beja Air Base (BA-11) in southern Portugal and hosted by Esquadra 301, which was attended by seven flying squadrons from five allied countries and a NATO operated E-3A Sentry airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. For this, the FAP committed six F-16AM/ BMs, as well as a P-3C CUP+ maritime patrol aircraft, an AW101 Merlin Mk.516 combat search and rescue helicopter and two AW119Kx Koala rotorcraft. The FAP was distinguished with the Best Operations and Best Tiger Painting awards, with the latter being applied to F-16AM (serial 15116) from Esquadra 301.
In recent years, Portugal has played an important role in the modernisation of the Romanian Air Force (RoAF) through the supply of several secondhand F-16AM/ BMs. Romania received a total of 12 F-16s from Portugal between 2016 and 2017, ordering them in a €628m deal in 2013. In 2019, the nation announced the purchase of five more – which had already been delivered – for €130m. The next two phases of the Romania contract are scheduled for 2023-2024 and the FAP will upgrade the aircraft configuration from the current M5.2R standard to M6.6. The first two aircraft will receive the update in Portugal next year, but the other 15 will be upgraded in Romania in 2024.
Discussions regarding the replacement of the F-16 have yet to be launched. For now, the priority is to keep them up-to date, hence the recent acquisition of 30 multifunctional information distribution system-joint tactical radios (MIDS-JTRS) to replace the MIDS Block Upgrade I system. Upgrading the platform’s GPS system is another priority. At the air-to-air combat level, the APG-66(V)2 pulse-doppler radar needs to be replaced by Northrop Grumman’s advanced APG-83 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which equips the new F-16V Block 70/72 variant. It is also necessary to improve the jet’s self-defence capabilities with a missile warning system and radar warning receiver, a similar package to Block 70/72 standard in the ‘Viper’ configuration. From a structural perspective, the Portuguese F-16s have the potential to operate until the mid- 2040s. However, they will have to be constantly upgraded to gain relevant capabilities and participate in future operations alongside fifth-generation fighters.
AFM
Portanto, estaremos mais próximos daquilo a que tenho vindo pessoalmente a designar por "F-16 MLU+", do que propriamente de um Viper. E pouco mais do que isso.
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