- â–º BAE Systems awarded $98,871,411 IDIQ contract for F-16 commodities sustainment.
- â–º Contract supports sustaining engineering for avionics intermediate shop automatic test equipment.
- â–º Work performed in San Diego, California, through Feb. 28, 2037.
- â–º Covers Foreign Military Sales customers across Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
- â–º Sole-source award managed by Air Force Sustainment Center at Hill AFB, Utah.
USAF Awards $98.8M F-16 Sustainment Contract To BAE Systems
The US Air Force has awarded a $98.8 million F-16 sustainment contract to BAE Systems to support avionics testing and commodities sustainment for the global Fighting Falcon fleet.
The ceiling indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, valued at $98,871,411, provides sustaining engineering services to maintain operational capability of fielded avionics intermediate shop automatic test equipment. The award was issued on Feb. 20, 2026.
Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is scheduled to run through Feb. 28, 2037.
The contract was awarded on a sole-source basis. No funds were obligated at the time of award.
Supporting Global F-16 Operators
The F-16 sustainment contract includes support for US Air Force aircraft as well as a broad group of Foreign Military Sales partners. Participating countries include Jordan, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Iraq, Bahrain, Portugal, Thailand, Poland, Greece, Oman, Romania, Singapore, Türkiye, Korea, Chile, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, and Pakistan.
The F-16 remains one of the most widely operated multirole fighters in the world. According to the US Air Force, more than two dozen nations operate variants of the aircraft. Sustaining avionics test equipment is critical to maintaining readiness rates across such a diverse and aging fleet.
Intermediate shop automatic test equipment plays a central role in diagnosing, repairing, and verifying avionics components. Without reliable test infrastructure, even minor subsystem failures can lead to extended aircraft downtime.
Long-Term Sustainment Strategy
The award underscores the Air Force’s long-term sustainment strategy for legacy fighter platforms. While newer aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II continue to enter service, the F-16 Fighting Falcon remains a backbone platform for both US and allied air forces.
Many partner nations are investing in F-16 service life extension programs, radar upgrades, and electronic warfare improvements. Sustaining the underlying avionics support ecosystem ensures those modernization efforts remain viable.
From an operational standpoint, avionics test equipment sustainment is less visible than aircraft upgrades or weapons procurement. However, it directly affects sortie generation, mission availability, and lifecycle cost control. Long-duration IDIQ contracts such as this provide predictable engineering support while allowing flexibility in task orders over time.
Contracting Authority
The Air Force Sustainment Center Supply Chain Management Division at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, serves as the contracting activity under contract FA8251-26-D-B002.
By extending support through 2037, the Air Force signals continued reliance on the F-16 platform across multiple theaters. For partner nations, the contract provides assurance that US-backed sustainment infrastructure will remain in place for more than a decade.
In a security environment defined by high operational tempo and expanding allied cooperation, steady sustainment funding is as critical as new aircraft procurement. This F-16 sustainment contract reinforces that reality.
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