Sabena Engineering has signed a letter of intent with Lockheed Martin to become the dedicated European maintenance partner for F-16 fighter aircraft, including the latest Block 70/72 variant. The agreement was announced during the Farnborough International Airshow.
The partnership combines Lockheed Martin’s technical expertise with Sabena Engineering’s maintenance infrastructure in Belgium, creating a regional support hub while also helping operators develop in-country maintenance capabilities. Both companies say the collaboration is intended to improve fleet availability and streamline support for F-16 operators across Europe.
Part of the Orizio aviation group since 2021, Sabena Engineering draws on more than 50 years of F-16 experience inherited from Sabca, which assembled and maintained Belgium’s F-16 fleet for decades.
Sabena Engineering employs more than 900 people in Belgium and Morocco and also provides maintenance services for F-35 fighter jets, Airbus A400M military transport aircraft and MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft.