First of 36 Iraqi F-16s completes inaugural flight

Above: The first of 36 F-16s for the Iraq Air Force makes its maiden flight over Fort Worth.

The jet is the first of 36 F-16 Block 52 aircraft on order through the US Department of Defense for Iraq.

With more than 4,540 F-16s delivered to date, the Foreign Military Sale to Iraq illustrates the continuing appetite in the Middle East for the F-16 - with countries such as Oman and Egypt buying the Falcon and the UAE looking at 30 new Block 61 F-16s.

Lockheed Martin’s F-16 production line is expected to continue through 2017, with major upgrades being incorporated for all F-16 versions.