Lockheed Martin says Morocco’s first F-16 Block 72 fighter jet has made its maiden flight

Lockheed Martin announced the first flight of Morocco's first F-16 Block 72 aircraft on October 6, advancing the Royal Moroccan Air Force program into its pre-delivery flight-test campaign. The aircraft flew from Greenville, South Carolina, and incorporates modernized avionics, sensors, mission systems and safety features associated with the new-production variant. Morocco already operates F-16s, while the additional Block 72 aircraft form a separate acquisition and modernization effort. The first flight is a manufacturing and test milestone rather than a completed handover, and the announcement did not specify the date of first delivery.