Overview

• State Department approval advances a potential Foreign Military Sale of 12 F-16C/D Block 70 jets and support to Peru, with DSCA notifying Congress of the $3.42 billion package.
• The request covers 10 single-seat F-16C and two two-seat F-16D aircraft plus 14 F110 engines and 14 AN/APG-83 AESA radars, with Lockheed Martin, GE Aerospace, Northrop Grumman and RTX named as prospective contractors.
• Peru also seeks 12 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs and 12 AIM-9X Block II missiles and associated training rounds, while offensive air-to-ground munitions are not included at this stage and could be negotiated later.
• DSCA says the package would strengthen airspace control, border defense and precision support to counter-narcotics and counterterrorism operations while deepening the U.S.–Peru defense partnership.
• The approval signals Lima’s tilt toward Western systems as it pursues up to about 24 new fighters, with Rafale F4, Gripen E/F and KF-21 still in contention and an aging fleet of MiG-29s, Su-25s and Mirage 2000s driving the need.