This program offered the Portuguese government a payment for use of the base, payment which would come in form of military equipment for the PoAF.
The proposal granted a total of 48 F-16 fighters of the latest V configuration that were to be some of the most advanced Vipers to date. This agreement would allow the Americans to maintain their presence and surveillance of any military movements happening in the Atlantic, while at the same time, they would be reinforcing one of their allied air forces with more modern equipment for a better response and assistance of US forces in any possible scenario.
The Portuguese government would almost immediately accept what would be called the Peace Atlantis III program.
Like the PoAF had already been operating the F-16 for a long time, the US government, together with Lockheed Martin, chose an option that would be cheaper, easier to put into production and for Portuguese pilots to make the transition.
This program consisted of the further development and integration of new aerial combat technologies for fighters of previous generations, and in this case, would be composed by several improvements for the iconic Viper.
Starting with the advanced SABR APG-83 radar, IRST sensor and new displays and mission computer in the cockpit, this suite of systems would give the old Viper new capabilities and better chances against possible enemy fighters. This variant would also have the option of using CFTs or external fuel tanks conforming to the fuselage to increase its range of action.
But the one of the most unexpected upgrades was the new Skorpion exhaust nozzle from General Electrics, which, although identical on the outside compared to a normal one, this nozzle is a derivative of the nozzle used on the F-16VISTA, governed by a 3D propulsion vector control system.
To complete the propulsion section, for the first time , the powerplant would be a combination of rival company's products.
The US government decided that the workshare should be divided so, Pratt&Whitney was forced to work with General Electrics as a team on this project
The Pratt & Whitney F135 ADVENT, which, by having almost the same exact dimensions of the P&W engines used on the Viper, was easy to adapt to any existing airframe with a few minor adjustments and connection parts.
These fighters would in fact, be even more lethal and survivable than the F-16E/F Block60, with only a few differences of hardware and software.
The first 3 single seat and 3 twin seat F-16C/DV Block70, were delivered in March of 2015. They were flown all the way to Portugal by PoAF pilots, who traveled from the American base in Tucson, Arizona, where they went through transition training, back to Monte Real's BA5, where they were received by the remaining "Falcons" of the 201st fighter squadron and senior representatives of the Portuguese and American government, PoAF and USAF, as well as a representative of Lockheed and the OGMA/Embraer.
The last 12 of the 48 were delivered in 2016, already with the new stealthier paint, the "Have glass V", with a different overall tone, adapted to our mixed territory. 6 of each of version would also be delivered to the "Jaguars" of Squadron 301, just a few months after the first arrived."
![Image](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah318/rui_reis2/IMG_27241.jpg~original)
![Image](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah318/rui_reis2/IMG_27301.jpg~original)
![Image](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah318/rui_reis2/IMG_27351.jpg~original)
![Image](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah318/rui_reis2/IMG_27221.jpg~original)
![Image](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah318/rui_reis2/IMG_27211.jpg~original)
![Image](http://i1383.photobucket.com/albums/ah318/rui_reis2/IMG_27181.jpg~original)