Morocco: first flight of the F-16 Block 72, ahead of delivery
Lockheed Martin announces a first flight test. Delivery remains a later step.
In a statement issued from Greenville on 6 October 2026, Lockheed Martin announces the successful first flight of the first F-16 Block 72 destined for the Royal Moroccan Air Force. The manufacturer places this milestone within a flight-test campaign preceding first delivery.
A first flight therefore means neither handover to Morocco nor entry into operational service. The statement gives no precise delivery timetable. The announcement concerns one aircraft in the programme, not delivery of the entire fleet.
The manufacturer describes Block 72 as a modernised F-16 variant with updated avionics, sensors and mission systems. These specifications are the company’s statements; the text provides no independent performance assessment.
Lockheed Martin also mentions its partnership with Maintenance Aero Maroc and a future maintenance centre in Benslimane covering more than 8,000 square metres. Intended for heavy maintenance and modernisation of C-130 aircraft, it plans expansion to other platforms, including the F-16. This announced project does not establish that the capability is already operational.