text: There have also been delays in the offset program, the United States has not made all the promised investments in Poland that were part of the deal. Offset deals in 2011 reached $6 billion out of $6.028 billion planned ($9.8 billion at time when offer was chosen), however only one-third of recognised offsets commitment were direct investments in Polish economy.


title: General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon operators

text: According to a former Polish military defence vice-minister, the offer for JAS 39 Gripen was a better deal. F-16s cost $3.5 billion, compared to 3.2 billion euro for Saab's Gripen, and 3.6 billion euro for Dassault offer, at a time when both currencies had a similar value.


text: The Portuguese Air Force chose the F-16 during the 1980s to replace its aging and obsolescent LTV A-7 Corsair II attack aircraft which were no longer suitable for air-to-air combat and were facing severe logistical problems.


text: In August 1990 the government of then-Prime Minister Aníbal Cavaco Silva signed a Letter Of Acceptance (LoA) which lead to the creation of the Peace Atlantis I program. The funds used for the purchase were made available through the Foreign Military Sales program, partly a payment for the use by the United States of Lajes Air Base in the Azores. Initially the United States proposed to supply Portugal with surplus Block 10 aircraft. However this option rested on a first order of 20 newly built F-16 Block 15 OCU (17 A models and three B models) with Pratt & Whitney F100 engines, which made them almost identical to the US Air National Guard's F-16 ADF. Deliveries of this first order began on February 18, 1994, and was completed on July 18 in the same year.


text: The initial group of Portuguese F-16 pilots was constituted by fighter pilots from the 302 and 304 Squadrons, received training in Tucson, Arizona, between January and June 1994.


text: During the War in Kosovo, it was seen that while the Portuguese F-16s were recently obtained, they were no longer up to the same level as most modern fighters used by other NATO countries. In 1999, during the Portuguese participation in the conflict (Operation Allied Force), the three F-16 fighters deployed by Portugal were relegated to escort missions and combat air patrols due to their lack of modern armament and air-to-ground targeting systems.


text: During 1996, during the government of then-Prime Minister António Guterres, new negotiations took place concerning the possible purchase of new F-16 fighters and the modernization of those aircraft. The Pentagon approved of the deal on November 20, 1997, and on November 30, 1998, Portugal signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) for 25 second-hand F-16 Block 15 (21 A and four B) that had been used by the U.S. Air National Guard. Under the program these would be offered by the United States at zero cost and free of charge as Excess Defense Articles under the Southern Regional Amendment to the Arms Export and Control Act, with Portugal being responsible for their transportation to Europe and for the modernization costs.


text: Included in the LoA and in the Peace Atlantis II program was also the purchase of new Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E engines, 20 upgrade kits, logistics support and training.


text: Initially, the plan consisted in only upgrading the second-hand aircraft of the Peace Atlantis II program and of transferring the F-16s from the Peace Atlantis I to a second squadron with the mission of performing tactical air support actions and tactical air support for maritime operations (TASMO), which wouldn't require the MLU kit.


text: Of the second-hand F-16s, five of the airframes were used as spare parts, and only the remaining 20 F-16s were intended for upgrade for day & night all-weather operations, by receiving the Falcon UP structural upgrade, the F100-PW-220E engine upgrade and the Mid-Life update (MLU) avionics and cockpit upgrade, to equip the 301 Squadron.


text: The Mid-Life upgrade (MLU) was performed in Portugal by the Air Force's workshops at Monte Real and by OGMA in Alverca. In 2001, employees of the LMTAS modified the first two aircraft in a Lead-the-Fleet program, with Portuguese technicians observing. The first F-16 AM was delivered in June 2003, and the FAP personnel performed the modification of the remaining 18 aircraft.


text: Currently the Portuguese F-16 fleet uses the AN/ALQ-131 ECM pods, that had originally been bought for the A-7P Corsair IIs, and the new Rafael LITENING II targeting pods. One aircraft has been preserved for public display and two aircraft have been lost in accidents.


text: In 2006 the Portuguese government put 12 F-16s up for sale. On September 25, 2012, Romania and Portugal started negotiations for the sale of 12 used F-16s in a deal worth $600 million. Aircraft were to be delivered to Romania over the next five years. On October 11, 2013, the Romanian National Defense Ministry announced the signing of the contract for the purchase of 12 used F-16s.


text: After the sale the Portuguese fleet would consist of 30 F-16s. To enable this, three ex-USAF F-16s (two F-16AMs and one F-16BM) were delivered in 2019.


text: On 24 March 2010, Romania's Supreme Defense Council approved the purchase of 24 refurbished F-16C/D Block 25 aircraft from the U.S. Air Force inventory. The first batch of aircraft was scheduled to arrive in 2013. Total cost for the aircraft was estimated at US$1.4 billion. Romania failed to pay the first installment on the aircraft, even though it was delayed from 3 June to 3 August.


text: On 27 September 2012, Romania's Supreme Defense Council approved a plan to buy 12 used F-16s from Portugal in a deal worth 670 million euros. It was planned that the aircraft would be delivered over the next five years, and would enter operational service in 2016 after pilot training. Romania was to complete negotiations and finalization of documents with Portugal by the end of May, and with the U.S. by September. 120 million euros were used to pay for the aircraft, with the rest paying for logistic support. Legislation regarding the F-16 deal was passed by the country's Chamber of Deputies in June 2013 and on 12 July 2013, Romanian President Traian Băsescu formally approved the purchase. On 11 October 2013, Romania completed the purchase of 12 Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons with MLU package from Portugal. The package was worth $252.6 million/€186.2 million, and included nine former Portuguese Air Force aircraft and three former United States Air Force aircraft supplied to Portugal for the resale under the U.S. Excess Defense Articles program. Nine aircraft were single-seat and three were twin-seat. Portugal would receive 78 million euros for the sale, and the rest would be spent acquiring and upgrading the surplus USAF aircraft and associated equipment. The first F-16 was scheduled to be delivered in 2016 with initial operational capability achieved in 2017.


text: The Romanian Armed Forces intended to buy 12 more Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcons by 2020 to equip a second squadron. After that, Romania planned to buy 24 F-16s of a newer generation by 2025, probably Block 50s.


text: On 27 September 2016, the first six F-16 MLUs entered service with the Romanian Air force. The ceremony took place in Portugal at the 5th Airbase Monte Real. The first F-16 squadron was the 53rd Fighter Squadron at the 86th Airbase in Fetesti.


text: In March 2019, the Romanian Ministry of Defence launched the procedure to procure an additional 36 F-16 aircraft.


text: In April 2019, the Romanian Ministry of Defence announced the Romanian Air Force would procure an additional five F-16s from Portugal, potentially receiving them before the end of the year.


text: The Turkish Air Force is the world's third largest operator of the F-16, following the US and Israel. Turkey became one of the nations to indigenously produce the F-16, under a license from Lockheed Martin. Turkey initially received in total 240 F-16s. However, a further 30 were ordered in 2007. All Turkish F-16s are built by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Each new aircraft had to visit American territory under the terms of the PEACE ONYX Foreign Military Sales program before being turned over to the Turkish Air Force. In 2005, Turkey signed a $1.1 billion avionics upgrade package, based on the USAF's Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP). In addition to this, the Turkish Air Force put a firm order for 30 more F-16 Block 50+, to be built by TAI. As of 2016, all existing F16s are now in Block 50+ 'Viper' configuration. On 24 March 2019, the Turkish State Secretariat for Defence officially confirmed that a further upgrade with ASELSAN for the modernisation of THK's entire F-16 fleet with a domestic AESA radar and a new indigenous EW-self-protection suite by 2021.


text: The small country of Bahrain originally ordered the F-16 in 1987, agreeing to buy eight Block 40 F-16Cs and four F-16Ds under the PEACE CROWN program. These aircraft arrived prior to the first Persian Gulf War. After this, with the increasing military presence of the United States, Bahrain sought further enhancement of its air force and the replacement of its F-5 Tiger II fighters. Initial talks centered on the F-16N being withdrawn from service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, but ultimately, it was decided to purchase ten new Block 40 F-16C aircraft. Bahrain ordered an additional 16 F-16 Block 70s in November 2017.


text: After the Camp David Accords, Egypt actively sought to re-equip its military with western weapons. Thus, it has become a large customer for the F-16 Fighting Falcon. No fewer than 42 F-16A/B Block 15, 40 F-16C/D Block 32, and 138 F-16C/D Block 40 fighters had been delivered to the Egyptian Air Force by 2002, in the frame of six separate PEACE VECTOR programs. In March 2010 it was announced that Egypt would purchase an additional 20 Block 52 aircraft (16 F-16Cs and four F-16Ds). The Egyptian Air Force operated 220 F-16s at that point, making it the world's fourth largest F-16 operator. Four of the F-16s ordered were delivered on 3 February 2013, raising the number of aircraft delivered to 224. The remaining 16 were to be delivered through 2013. Following the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état, the Pentagon had said deliveries of the jets would continue. On 24 July 2013 however, President Barack Obama announced the F-16 deliveries would be halted due to continuing political unrest. In March 2015 the US announced the resumption of the deliveries of the F-16s, the last of which was delivered in October 2015.


text: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is the second largest user of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, second only to the U.S. Air Force and its reserve components. The IAF achieved the type's first air-to-air victories when its F-16s shot down two aircraft, a Mil Mi-8 helicopter and a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter plane, both Syrian, in April and July 1981 respectively.


text: The IAF took delivery of its first F-16s earlier than expected after the cancellation of the sale of F-16s to the Iranian Air Force. The IAF had announced plans to buy 75 F-16s as early as 1978, and deliveries were carried out under American Foreign Military Sales program Peace Marble I. These F-16A/Bs received the Hebrew nickname "Netz" (Hawk). Peace Marble II witnessed the delivery of a further 75 block 30 F-16C/Ds to the IAF. Israel's F-16 fleet was further expanded by Peace Marble III, which brought 30 block 40 F-16Cs and 30 two-seat F-16Ds to the IAF between 1991 and 1993. These newer models were nicknamed "Barak" ("lightning"). In part to reward Israel for its restraint during the Gulf War, a shipment of 50 US-surplus F-16As and F-16Bs were delivered in 1994.


text: In a deal worth $4.5 billion, Israel also ordered 102 additional block 52+ F-16Ds, designated F-16I and nicknamed "Sufa" (Storm). Deliveries of these took place between 2004 and 2009.


text: In July 2013, Israel began a program called "Teuza" (boldness) for the purpose of turning some military bases into sales lots for obsolete IDF equipment. Older F-16 models would be sold off, or sold for scrap if there were no buyers. Main buyers were expected from Latin American, Asian, and African countries. Later that month, Major General Amir Eshel ordered the immediate shutdown of two squadrons of F-16A/B fighters, without any earlier notice to the squadrons' air and ground crews. The shutdown was caused by cuts in defence budget; additionally, it was claimed that one F-16I could replace several F-16s of older models. The aging F-16A/Bs were planned to be decommissioned in 2017 with the arrival of the F-35 Lightning II. However, the decision was made to advance the retirement of these aging platforms. One F-16A/B squadron continued to serve as an advanced jet trainer unit until the deliveries of Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Masters began in 2014. The final F-16A/Bs were retired on 26 December 2016.


text: The Iraqi Air Force was looking to buy 36 F-16s in late 2008 in place of phased-out Russian and Chinese fighters during Saddam Hussein's regime acquired before and during the Iran–Iraq War. In the spring of 2009, the decision was made to spend $1.5 billion on an initial order of 18 F-16 fighters. Later purchases could bring the total buy to 96. The first batch was to be delivered by 2014, with all 36 currently ordered delivered by 2018.


text: The first F-16IQ Block 52 fighter was delivered to Iraq on 5 June 2014, making it the 28th country to receive the F-16. The fighter was the first of six two-seat F-16D models. F-16IQs can be armed with AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, and Paveway guided bombs. Due to advances made by Islamic State militants in mid-2014 which forced the evacuation of contractors from Balad Air Base, Iraqi F-16s were sent to Tucson, Arizona, where Iraqi pilots trained on their aircraft. Four F-16IQs were delivered to Balad Air Base on 13 July 2015. The last F-16 was delivered to the Iraqi Air Force on 14 November 2017.


text: Like Egypt, Jordan opened the door to modern American arms sales by reaching a peace agreement with Israel in 1994. Jordan then arranged for a lease of air defense F-16s from the United States with an eventual transfer of ownership. The program was successful, providing Jordan with 16 F-16A/B ADF fighters in 1997 and 1998 under "Peace Falcon I" program, RJAF recognized the need to give these aircraft a mid-life update (MLU) in the next 2 or 3 years. (2 F-16A Block 15 ADF aircraft crashed over the years of service). A second "Peace Falcon II" program delivered a further 17 aircraft of similar type. All of the 17 F-16A/B upgraded by TAI to F-16AM/BM MLU standard.


text: In 2005, Jordan purchased 16 F-16AM/BM "Peace Falcon III" from Belgium. Later the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) pursued more second hand purchases in 2006 6 F-16BM "Peace Falcon IV" purchased from RNLAF, An additional 9 F-16AM/BM "Peace Falcon V" delivered in July/Aug 2011 from Belgium, the purchase totaled 31 aircraft, putting the RJAF in a good position with 62 F-16s.


text: On July 29, 1996, a $220 million agreement was signed between the United States and Jordan authorizing the lease of 16 F-16 fighter jets (12 F-16A and 4 F-16B aircraft) to Jordan. This agreement, formally signed by Field Marshal Marei, chief of staff of the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces and Major General Ababneh, chief of staff of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, was linked to the Middle East peace process and close US-Jordanian relations. The complete material/training support agreement, known as the F-16 Peace Falcon Program, includes funding for aircraft structural upgrades, engine modifications, support equipment and spare parts procurement, and pilot/maintenance training.


text: The agreement consisted of two lease contracts and a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA). The first lease was a no-cost lease for Jordan, covering 13 aircraft (12 A models and 1 B model, block 15 OCUs that were modified into ADF (Air Defense Fighters) versions. Under the Arms Export Control Act, the DOD was able to provide these aircraft at a no-cost lease because they had flown off over 75 percent of their life (i.e. more than 3,000 hour). Three of the B-model aircraft still had more than 25 percent of their life left and they fall under the second $4.5 million lease. Both leases cover a 5-year period. The LOA is for $215 million, covering all costs associated with upgrading those aircraft, doing the structural modifications to them, the engine upgrades, providing the support equipment, the logistics, the training.


text: The aircraft, all of which have flown previously by active Air Force and Air National Guard units, had been in storage for at least a year at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona before they were shipped to Hill AFB, Utah. There the Aircraft Directorate personnel from the Ogden Air Logistics Center performed structural upgrades to extend aircraft life from the designed 4,000 to 8,000 hours flying time as part of the Falcon-Up/Service Life Improvement program. They also modified the aircraft engine bay to accept the upgraded Pratt and Whitney F100-220E engine. New ground was broken with this Foreign military Sales program: taking 'used' F-16s from the desert (AMARC), completely refurbishing and modifying them and delivering the aircraft to the customer within a 17-month time frame.


text: On October 14, 1997, Lt. Col. Scott Curtis, flying safety officer at Hill AFB, pushed the throttles forward and released the brakes on his F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Within a matter of seconds the aircraft accelerated to 140 knots and the first Jordanian F-16 (tail number #80-0547) was airborne. It took more than 13,000 man-hours to get this F-16 ready for its first flight. The #80-0547 had not flown since November 1994, when it was flown from the ANG Station in Garden City, N.J. to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, Davis-Monthan, Arizona. The official roll-out of the Peace Falcon was on October 28, 1997, on Hill AFB, Utah.


text: The Jordan program required that six aircraft be available for ferry flight delivery to Jordan in December 1997, and five each to be available for ferry flight in January and February 1998. At that time, the RJAF planned to acquire as much as 60-70 F-16s (if possible C/D models), enough to equip 3 squadrons.


text: There have been talks about a second batch of 16 refurbished F-16s, which would have been delivered under the Peace Falcon II program. After initial talks in 1999, no further news has become available about this program. The RJAF is still looking for a replacement for its obsolete F-5 fighters which are due within a couple of years. They are in favor of acquiring another batch of F-16s for this replacement.


text: On January 29, 2003, numerous sources indicated that Jordan received 6 F-16 fighters that day in a ceremony held at Shahid Muafaq Al-Satlti AFB. This ceremony was attended by prince Faisal bin Hussain and US ambassador Jordan Edward W. Gnehm. The US embassy in Amman stated that these 6 aircraft were the first of a batch of another 17 (12 F-16As and 5 F-16Bs) that would be delivered to Jordan during the year 2003. All these aircraft are former US ANG F-16 ADFs. These aircraft are to be upgraded with the MLU modification (See Modifications and Armament).


text: Ultimately, 16 A-models and 1 B-model was delivered to the RJAF. Most of those airframes were put into storage waiting for their MLU conversion. In 2008 these modifications were in full swing at the TUSAS facility in Ankara, Turkey. By 2009 all of those modified airframes will be delivered back to Jordan for operational use.


text: In 2005 the RJAF contacted the Dutch and Belgian governments for a batch of F-16s. In April 2006 representatives of both air forces flew to Amman to sign a Letter of Intent for the acquisition of up to 22 ex-Dutch (8 airframes) and ex-Belgian (14 airframes) F-16s. The lot would consist of 17 A-models and 5 B-models (Netherlands: 5 A-models, 3 B-models; Belgium: 12 A-models, 2 B-models). All these aircraft have undergone the MLU upgrade which gives the Jordanians a serious boost in air power and also a sneak preview of the possibilities they will gain after their entire fleet is upgraded with this package. The aircraft are due to be delivered in 2007–2008.


text: In 2009 a total of 16 Belgian F-16s (12 As and 4 Bs) were delivered, but the Dutch order for A-models was canceled. By that time it became apparent that only the 3 B-models of the first purchase from the Netherlands and the 3 B-models included in the second purchase would be handed over to Jordan during 2009 as part of Peace Falcon IV.


text: The Dutch Secretary of Defence announced at the Dubai Air Show in November 2005 that he had signed a Letter of Intent for the purchase of 3 F-16Bs by the RJAF. The aircraft were to be used as training assets and are due for delivery in 2006.


text: In the end, the number of F-16BMs was raised to 6. The delivery of those was postponed until the summer of 2009.


text: In 2009 the Belgian government decided to put another 9 F-16AMs for sale. The first country to respond was Jordan and negotiations have been ongoing till 2011. Finally the delivery consisted of 6 F-16AMs and 3 F-16BMs, all delivered in July 2011. The number of Jordanian F-16s rises to 64 airframes with this delivery.


text: On 24 December 2014, a Jordanian F-16 crashed in Syria after being allegedly shot down by ISIS. The pilot, First Lieutenant Mu'ath Safi Yousef al-Kasasbeh, was captured by ISIS militants. On 3 February 2015, a video posted on ISIS-linked Jihadi websites, showed al-Kasasbeh being burned alive.


text: In May 2002, the Sultanate of Oman signed an agreement with the U.S. government to purchase 12 Advanced Block 50 F-16s in the PEACE A'SAMA A'SAFIYA ("Clear Skies") Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The agreement includes eight single-seat F-16Cs and four two-seat F-16Ds. On 23 August 2010 Peace A'sama A'safiya II contract was signed which saw a further ten F-16C and two F-16Ds delivered in 2014.


text: The United Arab Emirates operates the newer F-16 variants, the F-16 Block 60 F-16E (single seat) and F-16F (two seat), unofficially called the F-16 Desert Falcon. The aircraft has been developed especially for the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) and features improved AN/APG-80 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, avionics, conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), and the more powerful General Electric F110-GE-132 engine. The United Arab Emirates invested in its development and generate royalty payment for operators buying it.


text: The Bush administration announced plans to sell Morocco 24 F-16C/D fighters and 24 Beechcraft T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft valued at up to $2.6 billion on 27 December 2007. The sale was officially announced on 6 June 2008 and deliveries commenced in July 2011. All F-16s were delivered by the end of August 2012.


text: On 25 March 2019, the US government approved the sale of 25 new F-16 Block 72s and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.787 billion, as well as an upgrade package to bring the 23 existing F-16 Block 52+ up to the very similar F-16V standard plus the related equipment for an estimated cost of $985.2 million.


text: The Indonesian Air Force operates a mix of F-16A/B Block 15 OCUs and F-16C/D Block 32+s (locally promoted as Block 52ID). In 1989, Indonesia received a single allotment of eight F-16As and four F-16Bs. Two F-16s were lost in accidents leaving the fleet with only ten F-16s. A purchase of nine more aircraft was cancelled in favor of 12 Su-30KI, however this order was later also cancelled due to the Asian Financial Crisis. The Indonesian Air Force was planning to upgrade its F-16A/Bs to F-16C/D variants by the end of 2009. Another option was to purchase new F-16C/Ds to replace the retired F-5E Tiger IIs still kept in reserve. Starting in 1998, the United States imposed an arms embargo on Indonesia, followed by the EU in September 1999, but the Indonesian F-16s were still operational and underwent a Falcon UP program with the assistance from Dutch companies, after the European Union lifted their arms embargo in January 2000. The US embargo was lifted in 2004, and the US has since delivered 24 refurbished F-16C/Ds to add to ten older F-16A/B models. The total estimated cost was $750 million, and that included an upgrade to near Block 52 standard.


text: With the retirement of its F-5 Tiger IIs, the Indonesian Air Force was seeking additional airplane types well-suited for the air defense role. In February 2018, Indonesia signed a purchase contract to buy 11 Sukhoi Su-35 fighters in a US$1.1 billion deal. Lockheed Martin was offering the F-16V Viper as a cheaper alternative. Indonesia is currently upgrading its F-16A/Bs under the "EMLU-Falcon STAR" project. The Indonesian Air Force has plans to purchase 32 F-16V Block 70/72s in 2020-2024 for the MEF (Minimum Essential Force) Phase III program, but the Ministry of Defense is interested in purchasing F-15EX Eagle IIs and Dassault Rafales instead.


text: Pakistan was an early customer of the F-16, seeking to counter a heavy Soviet presence in Afghanistan, in addition to countering its traditional rival, India. An initial order for 40 aircraft was delivered in two installments, and led to a further order for 71 more F-16A/B Block 15 OCU aircraft. Due to political developments relating to Pakistan's nuclear program, these aircraft were embargoed before delivery. 28 remained in storage while other buyers were sought (and a 10-year lease to the Royal New Zealand Air Force fell through) due to a change in government, but ultimately it was decided that the aircraft would be put into service with the US Air Force and Navy as aggressor aircraft. The remaining aircraft were not completed.


text: In November 2006, the Pakistan Air Force signed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for 18 new-built F-16C/D Block 52s, 28 F-16A/B Block 15s and 60 Mid-Life-Update M3 Tape modules/kits as part of a $5.1billion deal including fighter aircraft, their related infrastructure, training and ammunition. Deliveries of the F-16A/Bs were expected to begin in 2007, while the initial F-16C/Ds would likely be received sometime in late 2008 or early 2009. The procurement of new-built aircraft and the refurbishment and upgrade of 60 used and serving aircraft was expected to be complete by 2010–2012, as per the Pakistan Air Force Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed. In April 2006, "Janes Defence Weekly" reported that the PAF may procure an additional 18 Block 52 aircraft. In July 2007, Commander of Central Command Air Forces, Lieutenant General Gary L. North (U.S. Air Force), and another U.S. aviator flew a pair of F-16s to Pakistan for Pakistan Air Force.


text: In December 2009 the first F-16/D block 52 rolled out for PAF. The first batch arrived in Pakistan in May 2010, and 17 F-16C/Ds had been delivered to the PAF by the end of December 2010. One F-16D used for testing joined the PAF in 2012 along with two examples upgraded to MLU standards in the USA.


text: In April 2014, the PAF received a batch of five second-hand F-16s bought from Jordan, from an order for 13 aircraft.


text: In 2016, the US approved the sale of eight F-16 Block 52 (two C and six D models) to Pakistan for $700 million. Pakistan had hoped to acquire the 8 F-16s for $270 million instead, with the rest being subsidized by Coalition Support Funds, but the US declined to subsidize the sale, and the deal fell through.


text: In 2019, the US approved a $125 million deal with Pakistan to provide technical support to existing F-16s.


text: The Republic of Singapore Air Force began as a small F-16 user, but has a steadily growing fleet. It has operated the aircraft since 1988, when the first of its initial order for 8 F-16A/B-15OCU arrived. A Mid-Life Upgrading program is ongoing since 2015 when Lockheed-Martin was selected to upgrade the fleet, and expected to complete in 2023.


text: Facing a need for advanced aircraft to counter North Korea's numerical superiority, the Republic of Korea Air Force ordered 36 "F-16C/D Block 32" aircraft in 1981 (later four F-16Ds were added by profit from exchange rate fluctuation), making it the first operator of the C/D model outside of the United States. A more ambitious program (Korean Fighter Program) aiming to provide 120 new fighters was initially lost to the F/A-18 Hornet, but various difficulties led to the order going to the F-16C/D Block 52D (KF-16C/D), 72 of which were to be manufactured in South Korea. 36 of them were to be delivered in kit form and assembled in South Korea, and 12 were to be produced in Fort Worth. In 2000, a further 20 Korean-built F-16s were added.


text: In May 2009, the South Korean government announced an upgrade plan for its KF-16C/D fleet's radar and armament, as part of the 2010-2014 arms acquisition and management package being submitted to President Lee Myung-bak for approval. The ROKAF operates about 135 of the “KF-16” fighters, many of which were built in Korea under a $5.5 billion licensing agreement from 1994 to 2004. Key upgrades will include new radars to replace the existing APG-68v5/v7 systems, avionics and computers, and improving cabling and databuses to MIL-STD-1760 so that the aircraft will be able to carry GPS-guided weapons, AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles, and other new equipment.


text: In March 2014, the Republic of Korea Air Force revealed that it was considering leasing F-16s operated by the US Air Force. ROKAF F-4 and F-5 fighters were intended to be replaced through the F-X III competition by 2016 and the KF-X indigenous fighter, but F-X III deliveries were delayed until 2018 and the KF-X won't enter service until 2023. With the aging fighters still needing to be retired, between 20 and 60 American F-16s are being reviewed for leasing to sustain aircraft numbers. South Korea had previously leased US T-38 Talon trainers for over a decade until the completion of the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle, but a country leasing a combat fighter is very rare due to risk of increased costs if they need to be used in a conflict situation.


text: Taiwan is a major F-16 customer. In 1992, 150 F-16A/B Block 20s were ordered while at the same time Taiwan ordered 60 Dassault Mirage 2000s and launched its own indigenous fighter program, the AIDC Ching-Kuo. Delivery of all F-16s was completed in 2001.


text: President Barack Obama agreed to a $5.3 billion deal to upgrade Taiwan's current fleet of F-16A/B Block 20s to a configuration similar to that of the proposed F-16V standard with AESA radars. Taiwanese F-16Vs are being upgraded with the active electronically scanned array AN/APG-83 radar and a helmet-mounted cueing system. In 2019, Taiwan received its first F-16V. Taiwan upgraded 42 F-16A/Bs to the latest F-16V standard and aims to upgrade rest of the 141 aircraft to the latest standard by 2023 as part of a $3.8 billion modernization plan.


text: The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF), needing a next-generation fighter to replace its fleet of Northrop F-5s, has expressed interest in the new F-35 Lightning II. However, due to political issues, it is unlikely it will be able to acquire such an advanced fighter in the near future. As a result, the ROCAF has opted for up to 66 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 as its interim replacement fighter. As with all military purchases, Beijing has expressed opposition to the sale. In August 2019, the Trump administration approved the sale of up to 66 new F-16 Block 70s worth up to $8 billion to Taiwan. Taiwan has upgraded 64 of its F-16A/B aircraft to F-16V standard.


text: The Royal Thai Air Force was initially considered a candidate to purchase the F-16/79. Thailand's first order was for 12 F-16A/B Block 15 OCU fighters, immediately bolstered by a further six F-16A Block 15 OCU planes. 18 more aircraft were received in 1995, the last new-production block 15 aircraft built. An attempt to buy F/A-18 Hornets failed, and in place of them, the US offered to sell former USAF F-16ADFs as Excess Defense Articles. A total of 18 aircraft were bought. In early 2005, the Royal Thai Air Force received three F-16A Block 15 OCUs and four F-16B Block 15 OCU from the Republic of Singapore Air Force. The Thai Foreign Military Sales program is known as PEACE NARESUAN.


text: The Chilean Air Force selected the F-16 as the winner of a long-running competition to provide the nation's next generation of fighter aircraft in 2000. The F-16 competed successfully against the JAS 39 Gripen, the Dassault Mirage 2000, and the F-18 Hornet. The deal for six C and four D-model aircraft was valued at $600 million in 2002 and was conducted under a program name PEACE PUMA. 18 surplus F-16A/B MLU aircraft (11 F-16AMs and seven F-16BMs) were bought from the Netherlands in 2005, and were delivered by mid-2006. In late 2008, the Chilean Ministry of Defense expressed its interest in buying 18 more aircraft from the Netherlands, which was later confirmed in April 2009.


text: The Chilean F-16 Block 50s can be armed with US missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the Israeli-made Derby, Python IV and Python V.


text: The first – and for a long time the only – Latin American user of the F-16, Venezuela ordered a total of 24 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft in May 1982 under the PEACE DELTA program; the US government originally offered the F-16/J79 version, but eventually authorized the sale of the standard Block 15 version. Deliveries of 18 ‘A’ models and six ‘B’ models began in September 1983 and were completed in 1985. Since entering operational service in 1984, these fighters have served with 161st and 162nd Fighter Squadrons of Fighter Air Group 16 at El Libertador Airbase, Palo Negro. The Venezuelan Air Force had wanted to order a further batch of 24 aircraft, but was unable to afford the purchase.


text: Venezuela has been seeking two attrition replacements for lost F-16s since late 1997, but has not been able to obtain them due to financial problems and souring relations between the United States and the government of President Hugo Chávez. On 15 May 2006, the US government announced that it would enact a ban on arms sales to Venezuela to become effective at the beginning of October of that year. This embargo was expected to soon render Venezuela's F-16 fleet non-operational, and General Alberto Muller, a military advisor to President Chávez, responded to the embargo announcement with a threat to sell Venezuela's remaining 21 F-16s to Iran. Subsequently, the Chávez government decided to pursue replacement of its American-sourced military aircraft inventory with Russian aircraft, and in mid-June 2006 it was revealed that Venezuela had recently ordered several Sukhoi Su-30s.


text: Venezuela's F-16s have been modified to use the Israeli Python IV infrared-guided air-to-air missile. They are also capable of carrying the Rafael LITENING II targeting pod.


text: Italy decided on the Eurofighter Typhoon as its next generation of air-defense fighter, however this aircraft faced delivery delays for some time. In the meantime, 24 Panavia Tornado ADV jets from the United Kingdom were leased to cover the gap. This lease ran out in 2003, without the Typhoon being ready for service. The solution was provided by a five-year lease of 34 F-16s, with an option to extend the lease for another five years. 30 aircraft were F-16A/B Block 15ADFs while the remaining four were earlier-block aircraft for spares. These were all used US Air Force fighters.


text: In June 2010, the Italian Air Force started the return of the F-16s to the United States which was completed on 23 May 2012, when all the Italian F-16s were returned to the US.


text: It was reported in December 2012 that Bulgaria was going to negotiate buying eight or nine second-hand fighter jets. Among the contenders were the Swedish Gripen, second-hand Italian Eurofighters and second-hand Portuguese F-16s. Later, in January 2013, it was reported that the Bulgarian Defense Ministry was expected to buy nine F-16s from Portugal. The final phase of the initial preparations was to be started by the middle of 2013. However, widespread protests led to the resignation of the Borisov cabinet, which delayed all government plans and activities.


text: A new round of negotiations for the purchase of second-hand Greek F-16s had started by the middle of 2014. Possible negotiations with the US were also expected, with hopes of reaching a decision over the procurement in 2015. In July 2015, the government of Bulgaria approved negotiations with Belgium, the Netherlands and Greece for the procurement of second-hand F-16s. The increasingly pressing issue of MiG-29 maintenance, which had been pushing on the deadlines of the procurement, was expected to be resolved by an agreement with Poland for the repairs of the jets' engines. The decision was further delayed beyond 2015 because no money had been set aside for the purchase. To alleviate the issue of air defence, the Ministry of Defence proposed to allow other NATO members to conduct air-policing missions with the Bulgarian Air Force. By then, only four Bulgarian MiG-29s had enough flying capacity left to conduct air policing. This nearly led to the stepping down of the Bulgarian Air Force Commander at the time, Rumen Radev, as a protest against the Defence Ministry's plan to conduct joint air-policing missions. He stated that the overhaul of MiG-29 engines was only a temporary solution, with the purchase of new fighters still considered urgent. In response, the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance reportedly set aside funding for the purchase of new fighter jets in the 2016 budget draft.


text: Plans and procedures for the procurement of fighter jets and patrol ships were established in the middle of 2016, with around 2.42 billion lev (1.24 billion euro) earmarked for the projects. The estimated cost of the jets was expected to be around 1.5 billion lev and a contract for eight aircraft was supposed to be reached by the end of 2016. Deliveries were planned from 2018 to 2021, and those of an additional eight aircraft from 2022 to 2023. In October 2016, it was alleged that technical specifications for the procurement had been altered to favor the F-16, which led to several Bulgarian members of parliament to request comments from the Minister of Defence. More delays were met as Prime Minister Boyko Borisov resigned due to his party's presidential candidate losing the elections, and because Bulgarian parties failed to form a new government, which led to new elections. By March 2017, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence had received three offers; from Sweden with Gripens, from Italy with second-hand Eurofighters, and from Portugal with second-hand US F-16s. A working group began evaluating these offers and by April, concluded that the Gripen was the preferred choice.


text: In June 2017, Bulgaria had said that it would start negotiations for the Gripen. However, the procurement was again put on hold over concerns that not all bidders were treated equally. A new round of proposals was asked, which also included newly built Eurofighters from Italy and F-16s from the United States. In November 2017, it was reported that the Bulgarian Air Force was also looking into buying US-made Super Hornets. A decision was expected by July 2018. In March 2018, it was reported that Israel was to be invited to participate in the tender with F-16C/D fighter jets. In December 2018, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence selected the offer for eight F-16Vs from the United States for an estimated 1.8 billion lev ($1.05 billion) as the preferred option, and recommended the government to start talks with the US.


text: On 16 January 2019, the Bulgarian parliament approved the government's proposal to start negotiations with the United States to purchase F-16V Block 70 aircraft. In May 2019 however, Bulgarian Minister of Defence Krasimir Karakachanov stated in a radio interview that Bulgaria was considering walking away from negotiations for the aircraft, saying that although Bulgaria was not expecting aircraft "for free, but at normal prices, taking into account the prices offered to other countries, for example Slovakia." On June 3, 2019, the US State Department approved the possible sale of eight F-16s to Bulgaria. The cost of the contract was estimated at $1.2 billion. The deal was vetoed by the Bulgarian President, Rumen Radev on 23 July 2019, citing the need to find a broader consensus for the deal, sending the deal back to parliament, but on 26 July the deal was again approved by parliament, overruling the veto, and this time was approved by Radev. In November 2022, the purchase of a further 8 planes, spares, weapons and other systems was approved by the parliament, for delivery in 2027.


text: Slovakia had been looking to replace its aging fleet of MiG-29s since at least 2014, when an option of leasing Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighters was considered. A possible proposal was finalized in December 2015. However, by June 2016, the deal was rejected due to concerns over cost. Following this, a new round of negotiations was opened. In February 2018, it was reported that Slovakia was in talks to buy either the F-16 or the Gripen fighter jets. In April 2018, the Slovak Ministry of Defence received an offer for F-16 fighters, amounting to $2.91 billion, from the US Department of Defense. On 11 July 2018, the Government of Slovakia approved the purchase of 14 F-16 Block 70/72 fighters for 1.589 billion euros ($1.86 billion).


text: In November 2018, the Slovak Ministry of Defence announced it had placed an order for 14 F-16Vs for €1.6 billion. Soon after however, the country's Prime Minister went on record to say the contracts were "invalid", stating the documents had not been approved by the Ministry of Finance. It was rapidly revealed that the inability of the ministries to cooperate was due to political rivalries, and the F-16 purchase had caused a minor political crisis in Slovakia.


text: On 12 December 2018, the contract to acquire 12 single-seat and two twin-seat F-16 Block 70/72s was officially signed by Slovakian Minister of Defense Peter Gajdos. The first aircraft to arrive into service are scheduled as soon as 2022.


text: In November 2015, after freezing the purchase of IAI Kfir aircraft from Israel, the Argentine Air Force requested "price and availability" of the F-16 from the US as a "definitive" combat aircraft and the eventual acquisition should be decided in the future. However, no deal had been materialized by September 2020. On August 12, 2021, Argentina received an offer from SOUTHCOM Gen. Laura J. Richardson for a total of 26 F-16 Block 40s, with an additional 18 to be donated if the deal is closed. This deal comes alongside other offers by Chinese, Russian, and Indian delegations who have offered the JF-17/FC-1, MiG-35, and HAL Tejas respectively. In late November details had been released regarding the Argentine Air Force's interest in the F-16 as they had formalized in the short term with the United States a request for information regarding procurement of F-16 Block 50s instead of the older Block 40 previously offered. In late January 2022, details were released regarding a new deal to acquire the F-16. The Danish Air Force is currently in the process of retiring its F-16s in favor of the F-35, and Argentina is currently working alongside the American Foreign Military Sales program in order to procure 12 ex-Danish F-16A/B MLUs. The deal stands that each unit would cost approximately $15 million with personnel training and spare parts included. However, the deal as of late January 2022 does not include other weapons or sensor pods. The FAA is currently negotiating as well for the inclusion of a KC-135R to be added into the fighter deal to provide aerial refueling capabilities for the F-16.


text: The United States has offered to sell about 15 F-16s to Colombia to modernize its fighter force, currently consisting of 22 aging IAI Kfirs. The offer includes training and maintenance services and overhaul of the 15 jets, offered until now by the US government to Colombia, pending Colombian government approval, and to stop the constant aggressions made by the government of Venezuela.


text: In April 2018, Colombia was offered surplus Israeli Air Force F-16A/B "Netz" and F-16C/D "Barak" aircraft by Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. The aircraft were offered in response to a Colombian Air Force requirement for 12 to 18 fighters, to replace its current fleet of IAI Kfirs. The offer reportedly includes a service life extension program that would upgrade the aircraft to a standard reportedly similar to Block 50.


text: For the ongoing Indian MRCA competition for the Indian Air Force (IAF), Lockheed Martin was offering the customized "F-16IN Super Viper". The F-16IN is based closely on the F-16E/F Block 60 and features conformal fuel tanks, an AN/APG-80 AESA radar, a GE F110-132A engine with FADEC controls, an electronic warfare suite, an infrared search and track (IRST) sensor, an updated all-color glass cockpit, and a helmet-mounted cueing system. Lockheed Martin and the United States government intensively lobbied for India's US$10 billion contract for 126 fighter jets. Ashton Carter, chief of The Pentagon's acquisition department, even raised the possibility of United States offering the F-35 Lightning II to India as a follow-on to the F-16IN. The IAF extensively evaluated the F-16 which included field trials in hot weather conditions and in high-altitude mountain ranges. In April 2011, the IAF rejected the F-16IN's bid in favor of either the Eurofighter Typhoon or Dassault Rafale. In January 2012, the Dassault Rafale finally emerged as the winner of this US$10.5 billion deal for 126 fighter jets.


text: In September 2015, Lockheed offered to produce F-16s in India as a part of the Make in India programme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and talks began in February 2016 for a potential deal. F-16IN lost in the competition with JAS-39 Gripen E, when Lockheed retired from production in India, and decided to move production line from Fort Worth (Texas) to Greenville (South Carolina). As of July 2017, Lockheed Martin has agreed to sign a letter of intent with the Indian defence firm Tata Advanced Systems Limited to manufacture the jets in India if the Indian government accepts their tender for India's request for a purchase of single engine aircraft to replace its aging Mig fighters. The new production line can be utilised to supply jets to India as well as for exporting them overseas.


text: The F-16C/D variants were first offered to the Philippine Air Force in 1992, and partook with several international competitors in a tender in 1995. This tender was however cancelled as a result of the 1997 Asian financial crisis.


text: In December 2011, the Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) were tasked to formally request at least a squadron of 12 ex-USAF F-16C/D fighter jets, most probably Block 25 or 30, which would be refurbished to either Block 50 or 52 standards. This was discussed during the US-Philippines "2+2" Meeting on 30 April 2012. The Philippine government would pay for refurbishing, maintenance and pilot training which would run for two years.


text: However, by 2012 the maintenance costs for the used fighters were found to be too high so attention turned to new jet trainers that could be converted into jet fighters. The requirements were listed as "supersonic ability, multifunction displays and On Board Oxygen Generation System." A DND spokesman has said that aircraft from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and South Korea were considered.


text: It was reported that the DND would be acquiring multi-role fighters by 2018. In response to the Philippine desire for multi-role fighters, the United States offered variants of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. The US State Department approved the sale of 10 F-16C Block 70/72 and two F-16D Block 70/72 jets to the Philippines on 24 June 2021.


text: The F-16A and F-16C were among the designs considered by the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) to replace its Dassault Mirage III fighters in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After the initial evaluation processes were concluded, the RAAF was left with a choice between the F-16C and F/A-18 Hornet, both of which met its technical requirements. While the F-16C was cheaper than the F/A-18A, the RAAF decided that the Hornet was more technologically mature, easier to maintain during operational deployments, and likely to have a much lower attrition rate. Accordingly, the Australian Government chose to order 75 F/A-18s in October 1981.


text: Brazil was evaluating the F-16BR with the intent to manufacture it in a joint-venture with Lockheed Martin. The Dassault Rafale, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, and the Saab Gripen NG were eventually shortlisted, but not the F-16BR. In the end, the JAS-39 Gripen E was chosen.


text: In July 2017, the Croatian Ministry of Defence announced it had restarted the Croatian Air Force MiG-21 replacement procurement program, and issued a request for proposals for up to 12 aircraft to five countries: Greece, Israel and the United States for the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Sweden for the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, and South Korea for the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle.


text: In October 2017, the Ministry announced it had received four letters of intent for up to 18 aircraft from the United States, Israel and Greece, offering various F-16 variants, as well as Sweden offering an unknown Saab JAS 39 Gripen variant. South Korea did not place a bid in the tender.


text: In November 2017, Croatian media announced the offers from Sweden for the Saab JAS 39 Gripen and Israel for a mixed fleet of A/B and C/D General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon variants had been downselected from the four offers. According to reports, the US bid was dismissed for being too expensive, and the F-16 Block 30 offered by Greece was dismissed for being too outdated. Further reports insinuate the Israeli offer was leading for being most price-competitive, as well as opening up additional opportunities for defence cooperation.


text: In March 2018, Croatia accepted the Israeli offer for 12 F-16C/D Block 30 "Barak" aircraft in a deal.


text: In December 2018, confusion about the deal arose after reports in Israeli media claimed that United States Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis was blocking the deal over Israeli equipment on the aircraft, that would give them an unfair advantage over the US bid for ex-United States Air Force F-16s. According to the reports, United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying "I'm in favor, but Defense Secretary Mattis is against; it's him who is blocking it". Croatian Defence Minister Damir Krstičević denied the reports, stating that "The US government has given permission to the State of Israel to offer the Israeli F-16 to Croatia, and we have documented to that effect". It was revealed later that month that Mattis rejected Netanyahu's request to sell the F-16s, unless Israeli upgrades were removed and the aircraft were sold in their original configuration, to which the Croatian government responded by stating they would cancel the deal if this were the case.


text: On 2 January 2019, the Croatian Ministry of Defence issued a deadline on the sale for 11 January, by which the sale as originally agreed upon must be confirmed, or it would be canceled. On 11 January, the sale was officially canceled by the Israeli Ministry of Defence, which reportedly issued an apology to their Croatian counterparts.


text: In May 2021, Croatia selected the French Dassault Rafale to replace its MiG-21s over competing bids, including F-16 offers from Israel and the United States.


text: Iran placed an order for 160 aircraft for the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) in 1976, with an option for a further 140. Due to the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the order was cancelled and no deliveries were made. 55 of these aircraft were later delivered to the Israeli Air Force.


text: In December 1998, the National Party, under the leadership of Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, had given approval for the Royal New Zealand Air Force to acquire 28 F-16A/B Block 15s following their embargoed sale to Pakistan under a 10-year lease-buy arrangement as an interim replacement for its fleet of ageing A-4 Skyhawks. The agreed price was US$105 million. In a controversial move the acquisition was cancelled by the new incoming Labour government under Helen Clark in March 2000 citing a benign security environment in which "an air combat force is not a priority".


text: While USAF and EPAF customers account for the majority of F-16 sales, the F-16 has also been sold to many other customers under an agreement known as a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.


text: Since the DoD assigns two-word codenames to programs such as these, FMS programs are assigned two-word codenames beginning with the word PEACE, indicating oversight by USAF Headquarters. The second word in these FMS sales is often chosen to reflect some facet of the customer, such as MARBLE for Israel or ONYX for Turkey. DoD codenames appear in all capital letters.


text: The codename is assigned beginning with the first FMS sale, and Roman numerals are appended to distinguish follow-on buys, the original FMS buy denoted with the Roman numeral 'I'.


text: Note that the sale of the F-16E and F-16F Block 60 models to the UAE was not assigned a codename, because it was not sold under an FMS agreement.


title: Norteños

text: Norteños (Spanish: meaning "Northerners"; "Norteñas" for females) are the various, affiliated gangs that pay tribute to Nuestra Familia while in California state and federal correctional facilities. Norteños may refer to Northern California as "". Their biggest rivals are the Sureños from Southern California. The statewide north-south dividing line between Norteños and Sureños has roughly been accepted as Bakersfield, California. The gang's membership consists primarily of Mexican Americans.


title: Norteños

text: In 1968, Mexican American inmates of the California state prison system separated into two rival groups, "Norteños" (northerners) and "Sureños" (southerners), according to the locations of their hometowns. Norteños, affiliated with Nuestra Familia, were prison enemies of the Southern Latinos, who are composed of members and affiliates of "La Eme", better known as the Mexican Mafia. While "La Eme" had initially been created to protect Mexicans in prison, there was a perceived level of abuse by members of "La Eme" towards the imprisoned Latinos from rural farming areas of Northern California. The spark that led to the ongoing war between Norteños and members of the Mexican Mafia involved a situation in which a "La Eme" allegedly stole a pair of shoes from a Northerner. This event put into motion the longest-running gang war in the state of California and the founding of Nuestra Familia.


title: Norteños

text: Norteños use the number 14 which represents the fourteenth letter of the English alphabet, the letter N, in order to pay allegiance to Nuestra Familia. It is sometimes written in Roman numerals as "XIV", or a hybrid of Roman and Arabic numerals, "X4". Norteños use the color red to signify affiliation. Some Norteños will tattoo themselves with four dots. A Norteño derogatorily refers to a Sureño as a "scrap" (Hispanicized "scrapa") or "Sur rat" (south rat). Norteños also use images of the Mexican American labor movement, such as the sombrero, machete, and the logo of the United Farm Workers which is a stylized black Aztec eagle ("Huelga bird").


title: Norteños

text: On January 9, 2005, in Ceres, California in Stanislaus County, Officer Sam Ryno was the first to respond to a call of a man with a gun in front of George's Liquors. Andres Raya, a U.S. Marine on leave after serving in Iraq, was armed with an SKS rifle and opened fire on officers, hitting Officer Ryno and killing Sergeant Stevenson. Raya was shot dead some time later after he opened fire on SWAT team members.


title: Norteños

text: Law enforcement officials claimed Raya had been involved in gangs for years prior to him signing up for military service. Modesto authorities discovered information during the investigation into the shooting that shows Raya was a Norteño gang member who was not involved in combat during his tour of duty in Iraq. A cooperative effort between local law enforcement, federal and military agencies revealed a large amount of information about Raya in a short amount of time.


title: Norteños

text: In August 2013, a shooting done by a documented Norteño killed 3 people and wounded four others at Taco Choice, a Mexican restaurant and bar in Salinas, California. The gunman, a 21-year-old Giovanni Pacheco, was sentenced to life without parole.


title: Norteños

text: Federal law enforcement agencies, long unable to infiltrate the group, began to step up their investigations in the late 1990s. In 2000 and 2001, 22 members were indicted on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges, including several who were allegedly serving as high-ranking gang leaders while confined in Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California. Thirteen of the defendants pleaded guilty; the other cases are still ongoing. Two of the defendants face the death penalty for ordering murders related to the drug trafficking. The largest of the federal investigations was Operation Black Widow. In the aftermath of Operation Black Widow, the five highest ranking leaders of the Norteños were transferred to a federal supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The Portuguese Water Dog originated from the Algarve region of Portugal. From there the breed expanded to all around Portugal's coast, where they were taught to herd fish into fishermen's nets, retrieve lost tackle or broken nets, and act as couriers from ship to ship, or ship to shore.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Portuguese Water Dogs rode in fishing trawlers as they worked their way from the Atlantic waters of Portugal to the waters off the coast of Iceland fishing for cod.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: In Portuguese, the breed is called (; literally 'dog of water'). In Portugal, the dog is also known as the Algarvian Water Dog (), or Portuguese Fishing Dog (). is the name given to the wavy-haired variety, and is the name for the curly-coated variety.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The Portuguese Water Dog is a fairly rare breed; only 36 Portuguese Water Dogs were entered for Britain's Crufts competition in 2013. Though some breeders claim they are a hypoallergenic dog breed, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that hypoallergenic dog breeds exist. Their non-shedding qualities have made them more popular in recent years.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The Portuguese Water Dog has recently gained more fame by being the chosen breed of US President Barack Obama, who had two of them, Bo and Sunny. The Obama family chose Sunny for the breed's comparatively hypoallergenic nature, while Bo was given to them by Senator Ted Kennedy.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Portuguese and Spanish water dogs are clearly related and probably have a common ancestor. The closest relatives of the PWD and Spanish Water dog are widely thought to be the Standard Poodle. Like Poodles and several other water dog breeds, PWDs are intelligent, can have curly coats, have webbed toes for swimming, and do not shed. However, Portuguese Water Dogs are more robustly built, with stout legs, and can have a wavy coat instead of tightly curled. If comparing the structure to that of a Poodle, there are significant differences between the two breeds. The Portuguese Water Dog is built of strong substantial bone; well developed, neither refined nor coarse, and a solidly built, muscular body. The Portuguese Water Dog is off-square, slightly longer than tall when measured from prosternum to rearmost point of the buttocks, and from withers to ground. Portuguese Water Dog eyes are black or various tones of brown, and their coats can be black, brown, black and white or brown and white.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Male Portuguese Water Dogs usually grow to be about tall, and they weigh between , while the females usually grow to be about tall, and they weigh between .


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: PWDs have a single-layered coat that does not shed (see Moult), and therefore their presence is tolerated well among many people who suffer from dog allergies.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Most PWDs, especially those shown in conformation shows, are entirely black, black and white, brown, or silver-tipped; it is common to see white chest spots and white paws or legs on black or brown coated dogs. "Parti" or "Irish-. "Parti" dogs are becoming more common in the United States. However, in Portugal, the breed standard does not allow more than 30% white markings. Overall, white is the least common Portuguese Water Dog color, while black with white markings on the chin ("milk chin") and the chest is the most common color.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: From the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America Revised Standard for the Portuguese Water Dog come these descriptions of the two coat types:


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: If left untended, the hair on a PWD will keep growing indefinitely. Problems associated with this include the hair around the eyes growing so long as to impede vision, and matting of the body hair, which can cause skin irritations. For these reasons, PWDs must be trimmed about every two months and the coat brushed every other day.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: In the lion cut, the hindquarters, muzzle, and the base of the tail are shaved, with approximately 1/3 of the tail hair left long, also known as a flag, and the rest of the body is left full length. This traditional cut originated with the fishing dogs of Portugal. The lion cut diminished the initial shock of cold water when jumping from boats, as well as providing warmth to the vitals. The hindquarters were left shaved to allow easier movement of the back legs and the powerful, rudder-like tail.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The retriever cut is one inch (2.5 cm) long, evenly over the body (although some owners prefer the muzzle or the base of the tail shorter, again, with approximately 1/3 of the tail hair left long, also known as a flag,). This cut is a more recent style and originated because breeders wanted to make the breed more appealing to buyers. Sometimes owners will clip the hair of their dogs very short, especially in the summer months, in modified retriever cut.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Portuguese Water Dogs have a multi-octave voice. They tend to be quiet dogs although they will warn when the home is approached, and they will communicate their desires vocally and behaviorally to their owner. Their bark is loud and distinctive. They may engage in "expressive panting", by making a distinct "ha-ha-ha-ha" sound as an invitation to play or to indicate a desire for nearby food. They sometimes whine.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The PWD's biddability, high intelligence, and tendency to vocalise and then seek out its human master when specific alarms occur make it an ideal hearing-ear or deaf-assistance dog. PWDs can be readily trained to bark loudly when a telephone rings, and then to find and alert a hard-of-hearing or deaf master.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Portuguese Water dogs are loving, independent, and intelligent and are easily trained in obedience and agility skills. They are generally friendly to strangers and enjoy being petted.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Because they are working dogs, PWDs are generally content in being at their master's side, awaiting directions, and, if they are trained, they are willing and able to follow complex commands. They learn very quickly, seem to enjoy the training, and have a long memory for the names of objects. These traits and their non-shedding coats mean they excel at the various service dog roles such as hearing dogs (assistance dogs for the deaf), mobility dogs, and seizure response dogs. They also make unusually good therapy dogs.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: A PWD usually stays in proximity to its owners, both indoors and outdoors. Although very gregarious animals, these dogs will typically bond with one primary family member. Some speculate that this intense bonding arose in the breed because the dogs were selected to work in proximity to their masters on small fishing boats, unlike other working dogs such as herding dogs and water dogs that range out to perform tasks. In any case, the modern PWD, whether employed on a boat or kept as a pet or a working dog, loves water and attention and prefers to be engaged in activity within sight of a human partner. This is not a breed to be left alone for long periods of time, indoors or out.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: As water dogs, the PWD's retrieving instinct is strong, which also gives some dogs tugging and chewing tendencies. A PWD will commonly jump as a greeting. Owners may choose to limit this behavior. Some PWDs may walk, hop, or "dance" on their hind legs when greeting or when excited. Some PWDs will stand upright at kitchen counters and tables, especially if they smell food above them. This habit is known as "counter surfing" and is characteristic of the breed.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Because of their intelligence and working drive, they require regular intensive exercise as well as mental challenges. They are gentle and patient—but not "couch potatoes", and boredom can cause them to become destructive.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The Portuguese Water Dog and the Poodle appear to have developed from the same ancient genetic pool: At one time the Poodle was a longer-coated dog, as is one variety of the Portuguese Water Dog. PWD breeders say that the current-day Poodle, Kerry Blue Terrier, and Irish Water Spaniel are possible ancestors of the "water dog".


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: The PWD was a breed on the verge of extinction when, during the 1930s, Vasco Bensaude, a wealthy Portuguese shipping magnate, began to seek out fishermen's dogs for use in a breeding program to re-establish the breed. Bensaude's kennel was named Algarbiorum, and his most famous dog was Leão (1931–1942), a very "type-y" (that is, standard-conformant) fisherman's stud dog, who was bred to so many different females that about half of the pedigreed Portuguese Water Dogs in existence can trace their lineage back to him. Bensaude was aided by two Portuguese veterinarians, Dr. Francisco Pinto Soares and Dr. Manuel Fernandes Marques. His work was carried on by Conchita Cintron de Castelo Branco, to whom he gave his last 17 PWDs and all his archives.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Dr. António Cabral was the founder of the Avalade kennels in Portugal. Ch. Charlie de Avalade (Charlie), a brown-coated dog, and C. B. Baluarte de Avalade (Balu) were two of his many famous PWDs. He registered his first PWD in 1954 after Bensaude had pioneered the re-establishment of the breed in Portugal. Cabral worked with Carla Molinari, Deyanne Miller, Sonja Santos and others to establish PWDs in the US. The "Mark of Cabral" is a triangular shape of different color/textured hair, usually from the base of the tail.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Deyanne Miller is the person most responsible for the rise of the PWD in America. In 1972, the Millers, along with 14 others, formed the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Inc. (PWDCA). She worked with dogs from both the Cintron and Cabral lineages to establish a stable genetic pool of PWDs in the US at her Farmion kennels. Another early US breeder of PWDs was the actor Raymond Burr.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: As with all purebred dogs, PWDs are vulnerable to certain genetic defects. Owing to the limited gene pool for this breed, conscientious breeders carefully study pedigrees and select dogs to minimize the chance of genetic disease and improper coat. As with many other breeds, growing popularity has encouraged breeding by people not knowledgeable about the breed.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Like poodles, PWDs are vulnerable to hip dysplasia, a congenital and developmental problem with the hip joints. However, the risk of a PWD developing hip dysplasia can be greatly reduced by thoroughly checking the pedigrees and health clearances in both the sire and dam of the dog.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy are two eye diseases found in PWDs. Progressive retinal atrophy, which causes "night blindness", may lead to complete blindness. This is a simple recessive gene. DNA testing, known as "Optigen Testing", can identify dogs carrying the gene for progressive retinal atrophy. "Normal" or "A" dogs do not carry the gene. "Carriers" or "B" dogs carry one copy of the gene and will "not" express the disease, but pass the gene to 50% of their offspring. "Affected" or "C" dogs have two copies of the progressive retinal atrophy gene and will probably express the disease as late onset progressive retinal atrophy. "B" or "C" dogs should be bred "only" to "A" dogs to ensure that any offspring will not express the disease.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Ingrown eyelashes (distichiasis) occur in some curly-coated breeds, but they are not particularly common in PWDs. Ingrown eyelashes will rub the eye causing extensive corneal ulcerations. The condition is minor so long as it is not ignored, and can be surgically treated if necessary.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: GM1 storage disease, one of a family of conditions called GM1 gangliosidoses, is a recessive, genetic disorder that is inevitably fatal. It is caused by a deficiency of beta-galactosidase, with resulting abnormal storage of acidic lipid materials in cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems, but particularly in the nerve cells. Because PWDs are all rather closely related to one another and share a limited gene pool, PWDs who were GM1 storage disease carriers were able to be genetically identified, and the condition has now been almost entirely eliminated from the breed. All breeding stock should be tested for GM-1 storage disease or GM1 gangliosidoses, which is a fatal nerve disease that typically appears when a puppy is approximately six months of age. The affected puppy will show clinical signs of cerebellar dysfunction including ataxia, tremors, paresis, and seizures. The pet may also exhibit a change in temperament. Lesions of the retina and clouding of the cornea may occur.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy is a fatal condition caused by an autosomal recessive gene. Affected puppies die suddenly or with very little warning usually between the ages of six weeks to seven months old. The signs and symptoms include a 12- to 48-hour onset of loss of appetite, decreased energy level, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. Some pups have no physical signs or symptoms at all, may just collapse and die, or are found dead by the breeder or new owner. At this time, there is no known cure or treatment but there is a way to prevent producing puppies affected by juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy.


title: Portuguese Water Dog

text: Breeders now have a DNA gene-based test, based on a cheek swab or a blood sample, which will determine if a dog is a carrier of the gene for juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy. All breeding animals can be tested to determine their status, thus avoiding the breeding of two carriers. A puppy from a sire or dam without the gene will not be affected with this fatal disease.


title: Dirty bomb

text: A dirty bomb or radiological dispersal device is a radiological weapon that combines radioactive material with conventional explosives. The purpose of the weapon is to contaminate the area around the dispersal agent/conventional explosion with radioactive material, serving primarily as an area denial device against civilians. It is not to be confused with a nuclear explosion, such as a fission bomb, which produces blast effects far in excess of what is achievable by the use of conventional explosives. Unlike the cloud of radiation from a typical fission bomb, a dirty bomb’s radiation can be dispersed only within a few hundred meters or a few miles of the explosion.


title: Dirty bomb

text: Dirty bombs have never been used, only tested. They are designed to disperse radioactive material over a certain area. They act through the effects of radioactive contamination on the environment and related health effects of radiation poisoning in the affected populations. The containment and decontamination of victims, as well as decontamination of the affected area require considerable time and expenses, rendering areas partly unusable and causing economic damage. Dirty bombs might be used to create mass panic as a weapon of terror.


title: Dirty bomb

text: When dealing with the implications of a dirty bomb attack, there are two main areas to be addressed: the civilian impact, not only dealing with immediate casualties and long term health issues, but also the psychological effect, and the economic impact. With no prior event of a dirty bomb detonation, it is considered difficult to predict the impact. Several analyses have predicted that radiological dispersal devices will neither sicken nor kill many people.


title: Dirty bomb

text: One example is the radiological accident occurring in Goiânia, Brazil, between September 1987 and March 1988: Two metal scavengers broke into an abandoned radiotherapy clinic and removed a teletherapy source capsule containing powdered caesium-137 with an activity of 50 TBq. They brought it back to the home of one of the men to take it apart and sell as scrap metal. Later that day both men were showing acute signs of radiation illness with vomiting and one of the men had a swollen hand and diarrhea. A few days later one of the men punctured the thick window of the capsule, allowing the caesium chloride powder to leak out and when realizing the powder glowed blue in the dark, brought it back home to his family and friends to show it off. After two weeks of spread by contact contamination causing an increasing number of adverse health effects, the correct diagnosis of acute radiation sickness was made at a hospital and proper precautions could be put into procedure. By this time 249 people were contaminated, 151 exhibited both external and internal contamination of which 20 people were seriously ill and five people died.


title: Dirty bomb

text: The Goiânia incident to some extent predicts the contamination pattern if it is not immediately realized that the explosion spread radioactive material, but also how fatal even very small amounts of ingested radioactive powder can be. This raises worries of terrorists using powdered alpha emitting material, that if ingested can pose a serious health risk, as in the case of Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned by tea with polonium-210. "Smoky bombs" based on alpha emitters might easily be just as dangerous as beta or gamma emitting dirty bombs.


title: Dirty bomb

text: Although the exposure might be minimal, many people find radiation exposure especially frightening because it is something they cannot see or feel, and it therefore becomes an unknown source of danger. When United States Attorney General John Ashcroft on June 10, 2002, announced the arrest of José Padilla, allegedly plotting to detonate such a weapon, he said:


title: Dirty bomb

text: This public fear of radiation also plays a big role in why the costs of a radiological dispersal device impact on a major metropolitan area (such as lower Manhattan) might be equal to or even larger than that of the 9/11 attacks. Assuming the radiation levels are not too high and the area does not need to be abandoned such as the town of Pripyat near the Chernobyl reactor, an expensive and time-consuming cleanup procedure will begin. This will mainly consist of tearing down highly contaminated buildings, digging up contaminated soil and quickly applying sticky substances to remaining surfaces so that radioactive particles adhere before radioactivity penetrates the building materials. These procedures are the current state of the art for radioactive contamination cleanup, but some experts say that a complete cleanup of external surfaces in an urban area to current decontamination limits may not be technically feasible. Loss of working hours will be vast during cleanup, but even after the radiation levels reduce to an acceptable level, there might be residual public fear of the site including possible unwillingness to conduct business as usual in the area. Tourist traffic is likely never to resume.


title: Dirty bomb

text: Since the 9/11 attacks, the fear of terrorist groups using dirty bombs has increased, which has been frequently reported in the media. The meaning of terrorism used here, is described by the U.S. Department of Defense's definition, which is "the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological."


title: Dirty bomb

text: In order for a terrorist organization to construct and detonate a dirty bomb, it must acquire radioactive material. Possible radiological dispersal device material could come from the millions of radioactive sources used worldwide in the industry, for medical purposes and in academic applications mainly for research. Of these sources, only nine reactor produced isotopes stand out as being suitable for radiological terror: americium-241, californium-252, caesium-137, cobalt-60, iridium-192, plutonium-238, polonium-210, radium-226 and strontium-90, and even from these it is possible that radium-226 and polonium-210 do not pose a significant threat. Of these sources the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has estimated that within the U.S., approximately one source is lost, abandoned or stolen every day of the year. Within the European Union the annual estimate is 70. There exist thousands of such "orphan" sources scattered throughout the world, but of those reported lost, no more than an estimated 20 percent can be classified as potential high security concerns if used in a radiological dispersal device. Russia is believed to house thousands of orphan sources, which were lost following the collapse of the Soviet Union. A large but unknown number of these sources probably belong to the high security risk category. These include the beta-emitting strontium-90 sources used as radioisotope thermoelectric generators for beacons in lighthouses in remote areas of Russia. In December 2001, three Georgian woodcutters stumbled over such a power generator and dragged it back to their camp site to use it as a heat source. Within hours they suffered from acute radiation sickness and sought hospital treatment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later stated that it contained approximately of strontium, equivalent to the amount of radioactivity released immediately after the Chernobyl accident (though the total radioactivity release from Chernobyl was 2500 times greater at around ).


title: Dirty bomb

text: Although a terrorist organization might obtain radioactive material through the "black market", and there has been a steady increase in illicit trafficking of radioactive sources from 1996 to 2004, these recorded trafficking incidents mainly refer to rediscovered orphan sources without any sign of criminal activity, and it has been argued that there is no conclusive evidence for such a market. In addition to the hurdles of obtaining usable radioactive material, there are several conflicting requirements regarding the properties of the material the terrorists need to take into consideration: First, the source should be "sufficiently" radioactive to create direct radiological damage at the explosion or at least to perform societal damage or disruption. Second, the source should be transportable with enough shielding to protect the carrier, but not so much that it will be too heavy to maneuver. Third, the source should be sufficiently dispersible to effectively contaminate the area around the explosion.


title: Dirty bomb

text: The first attempt of radiological terror was reportedly carried out in November 1995 by a group of Chechen separatists, who buried a caesium-137 source wrapped in explosives at the Izmaylovsky Park in Moscow. A Chechen rebel leader alerted the media, the bomb was never activated, and the incident amounted to a mere publicity stunt. In December 1998, a second attempt was announced by the Chechen Security Service, who discovered a container filled with radioactive materials attached to an explosive mine. The bomb was hidden near a railway line in the suburban area Argun, ten miles east of the Chechen capital of Grozny. The same Chechen separatist group was suspected to be involved.


title: Dirty bomb

text: On 8 May 2002, José Padilla (a.k.a. Abdulla al-Muhajir) was arrested on suspicion that he was an al-Qaeda terrorist planning to detonate a dirty bomb in the U.S. This suspicion was raised by information obtained from an arrested terrorist in U.S. custody, Abu Zubaydah, who under interrogation revealed that the organization was close to constructing a dirty bomb. Although Padilla had not obtained radioactive material or explosives at the time of arrest, law enforcement authorities uncovered evidence that he was on reconnaissance for usable radioactive material and possible locations for detonation. It has been doubted whether José Padilla was preparing such an attack, and it has been claimed that the arrest was highly politically motivated, given the pre-9/11 security lapses by the CIA and FBI.


title: Dirty bomb

text: In 2006, Dhiren Barot from North London pleaded guilty of conspiring to murder people in the United Kingdom and United States using a radioactive dirty bomb. He planned to target underground car parks within the UK and buildings in the U.S. such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank buildings in Washington D.C., the New York Stock Exchange, Citigroup buildings and the Prudential Financial buildings in Newark, New Jersey. He also faces 12 other charges including, conspiracy to commit public nuisance, seven charges of making a record of information for terrorist purposes and four charges of possessing a record of information for terrorist purposes. Experts say if the plot to use the dirty bomb was carried out "it would have been unlikely to cause deaths, but was designed to affect about 500 people".


title: Dirty bomb

text: In January 2009, a leaked FBI report described the results of a search of the Maine home of James G. Cummings, a white supremacist who had been shot and killed by his wife. Investigators found four one-gallon containers of 35 percent hydrogen peroxide, uranium, thorium, lithium metal, aluminum powder, beryllium, boron, black iron oxide and magnesium as well as literature on how to build dirty bombs and information about caesium-137, strontium-90 and cobalt-60, radioactive materials. Officials confirmed the veracity of the report but stated that the public was never at risk.


title: Dirty bomb

text: In July 2014, ISIS militants seized of uranium compounds from Mosul University. The material was unenriched and so could not be used to build a conventional fission bomb, but a dirty bomb is a theoretical possibility. However, uranium's relatively low radioactivity makes it a poor candidate for use in a dirty bomb.


title: Dirty bomb

text: Terrorist organizations may also capitalize on the fear of radiation to create weapons of mass disruption rather than weapons of mass destruction. A fearful public response may in itself accomplish the goals of a terrorist organization to gain publicity or destabilize society. Even simply stealing radioactive materials may trigger a panic reaction from the general public. Similarly, a small-scale release of radioactive materials or a threat of such a release may be considered sufficient for a terror attack. Particular concern is directed towards the medical sector and healthcare sites which are "intrinsically more vulnerable than conventional licensed nuclear sites". Opportunistic attacks may range to even kidnapping patients whose treatment involve radioactive materials. Of note is the public reaction to the Goiânia accident, in which over 100,000 people admitted themselves to monitoring, while only 49 were admitted to hospitals. Other benefits to a terrorist organization of a dirty bomb include economic disruption in the area affected, abandonment of affected assets (such a buildings, subways) due to public concern, and international publicity useful for recruitment.


title: Dirty bomb

text: Israel carried out a four-year series of tests on nuclear explosives to measure the effects were hostile forces ever to use them against Israel, "Haaretz" reported in 2015. According to the report, the high-level radiation was measured only at the center of the explosions, while the level of dispersal of radiation by particles carried by the wind was low. The bombs reportedly did not pose a significant danger beyond the psychological effect.


title: Dirty bomb

text: Dirty bombs may be prevented by detecting illicit radioactive materials in shipping with tools such as a Radiation Portal Monitor. Similarly, unshielded radioactive materials may be detected at checkpoints by Geiger Counters, gamma-ray detectors, and even Customs and Border Patrol (CBS) pager-sized radiation detectors. Hidden materials may also be detected by x-ray inspection and heat emitted may be picked up by infrared detectors. Such devices, however, may be circumvented by simply transporting materials across unguarded stretches of coastline or other barren border areas.


title: Dirty bomb

text: One proposed method for detecting shielded Dirty Bombs is Nanosecond Neutron Analysis (NNA). Designed originally for the detection of explosives and hazardous chemicals, NNA is also applicable to fissile materials. NNA determines what chemicals are present in an investigated device by analyzing emitted γ-emission neutrons and α-particles created from a reaction in the neutron generator. The system records the temporal and spatial displacement of the neutrons and α-particles within separate 3D regions. A prototype dirty-bomb detection device created with NNA is demonstrated to be able to detect uranium from behind a 5 cm-thick lead wall. Other radioactive material detectors include Radiation Assessment and Identification (RAID) and Sensor for Measurement and Analysis of Radiation Transients, both developed by Sandia National Laboratories. Sodium iodide scintillator based aerial radiation detection systems are capable to detect International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) defined dangerous quantities of radioactive material and have been deployed by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Counterterrorism Bureau.


title: Dirty bomb

text: The IAEA recommends certain devices be used in tandem at country borders to prevent transfer of radioactive materials, and thus the building of dirty bombs. They define the four main goals of radiation detection instruments as detection, verification, assessment and localization, and identification as a means to escalate a potential radiological situation. The IAEA also defines the following types of instruments:


title: Dirty bomb

text: Legislative and regulatory actions can also be used to prevent access to materials needed to create a dirty bomb. Examples include the 2006 U.S. Dirty Bomb Bill, the Yucca Flats proposal, and the Nunn-Lungar act. Similarly, close monitoring and restrictions of radioactive materials may provide security for materials in vulnerable private-sector applications, most notably in the medical sector where such materials are used for treatments. Suggestions for increased security include isolation of materials in remote locations and strict limitation of access.


title: Dirty bomb

text: One way to mitigate a major effect of a radiological weapons may also be to educate the public on the nature of radioactive materials. As one of the major concerns of a dirty bomb is the public panic proper education may prove a viable counter-measure. Education on radiation is considered by some to be "the most neglected issue related to radiological terrorism".


title: Dirty bomb

text: The dangers of a dirty bomb come from the initial blast and the radioactive materials To mitigate the risk of radiation exposure, FEMA suggests the following guidelines:


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: The Death of Superman is a 2018 American animated superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment. Based on the comic book storyline of the same name and which chronicles the battle between Superman and Doomsday. It is the 32nd installment of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies and the eleventh film of the DC Animated Movie Universe. Released on July 24, 2018 the film received a limited theatrical release on January 13, 2019. A sequel, "Reign of the Supermen", was released on January 15, 2019.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: Superman has become a popular superhero in Metropolis and the world. After foiling an attempted abduction of the mayor by Intergang, he takes a piece of their technology to S.T.A.R. Labs for analysis. Following this, Superman is interviewed by "Daily Planet" reporter Lois Lane about his family heritage and the origins of how he came to Earth. Later that night, Lois meets Clark Kent’s (Superman’s human identity which Lois doesn't know) adoptive parents. Because of her little knowledge about Clark’s personal life, Lois leaves upset and reconsiders their relationship.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: At S.T.A.R. Labs, Dr. Silas Stone and Dr. John Irons examine the technology from the Intergang attack and confirm it to be of mixed Apokoliptian and Earth origin, leaving Superman to suspect that his archenemy Lex Luthor was involved in supplying Intergang. Luthor, who is currently in government custody, denies his involvement, but Superman remains suspicious. Meanwhile in space, astronauts Hank Henshaw, his wife Terri, and their crew are suddenly impacted by a meteorite that portaled out of nowhere. The meteor damages their ship, killing Terri and the crew, leaving Hank’s fate unknown. Upon crash landing in the ocean, Lex Luthor sends a submarine crew to investigate while the Atlanteans do the same. Without warning, the Atlanteans and the sub crew are attacked and killed by a large being in a containment suit, who tears across the country on a rampage.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: At a restaurant owned by Superman fan Bibbo Bibbowski, Clark confesses to Lois that he is Superman and that he loves her. Meanwhile, the unknown being heads toward Metropolis, attacking everything and everyone it sees until the Justice League arrives to confront it. The being leaves several members of the League injured and nearly kills Wonder Woman before Superman arrives to confront it. The being emerges from its suit and is revealed to be a gray-skinned, white-haired monster with incredible strength, stamina, and invulnerability. The creature, dubbed "Doomsday" by Lois, attacks Superman, who grapples with it. Superman and Doomsday engage in a fierce battle across Metropolis which eventually leaves Superman critically wounded and exhausted. When the monster sees Lois and prepares to kill her, Superman flies toward it at full speed and deals a blow that snaps Doomsday's neck, ending the monster's violent rampage. Superman is victorious, but is stabbed in the chest and dies in Lois' arms, a scene that is filmed by Jimmy Olsen.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: In the aftermath, a state funeral is held for Superman and the Kents welcome Lois into their family. Sometime later, Jimmy brings Lois back to Superman's memorial' where his coffin is empty. As the world watches, a figure resembling Superman flies away.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: In a series of mid-and post-credits scenes, a clone of Superman survives numerous failed experiments from LexCorp, Dr. Irons is seen forging his own Superman suit from steel, Superman’s rocket buries itself in the North Pole, resulting in the creation of the Fortress of Solitude, and a Superman-like cyborg is seen flying in space.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: Mera, Alfred Pennyworth, Damian Wayne, Hawkman, Kate Kane and others appear in non-speaking cameos during Superman's funeral.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: "The Death of Superman" is the 32nd installment in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies line, the 11th film in the DC Animated Movie Universe, and is based on the 1992—1993 DC comic book storyline of the same name. The story had previously been adapted in the 2007 film "". However, "Superman: Doomsday" greatly altered and condensed the story to fit it within a 75-minute runtime, including the events associated with the return of Superman and that sequel-based comic. "The Death of Superman" was written to be much more faithful to the original story; according to DC's Tim Beedle, the film is "much less condensed and will include many of the fan-favorite moments from the story that were left out of "Doomsday"". The film is co-directed by Jake Castorena and produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Films. According to supervising producer James Tucker, a primary theme of the film is relationships and their impact on Superman's world.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: "The Death of Superman" had its premiere at the San Diego Comic-Con on July 20, 2018 and released in direct-to-video on August 7, distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on DVD, Blu-ray, and on digital distribution platforms on July 24. The film was also released in a limited theatrical release alongside "Reign of the Supermen" on January 13, 2019. The film has been re-released on home video, edited together with its sequel, on October 1, 2019 as "The Death and Return of Superman".


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: On Rotten Tomatoes of the critics liked the movie with an average rating of based on reviews. Kat Calamia of "Newsarama" called the film "One of DC's Best Animated Films in Past 5 Years", praising its epic scope and the emotional effect it invoked. Evan Narcisse, writing for i09, praised Superman's character arc, his relationship with Lois, and the manner in which DC Universe Movies adapted pre-Crisis storylines into the film's continuity to explore different permutations of those storylines, and effect a sense of threat. Jim Vejvoda, writing for IGN, pointed out that the film was the third time in 11 years that a DC film killed off Superman. Vejvoda found a "tedious" re-use of an old premise, even while conceding that the film presented that plot point in way that was more faithful to the comics storyline than either 2007's "" or 2016's "".


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: "The Death of Superman" peaked at #1 on the Top Ten Blu-ray Sellers for Week and the Top Five Home Media Sellers for Week, scoring a very strong Blu-ray market share of 78%. The film earned $1,081,703 from domestic DVD sales and $6,529,102 from domestic Blu-ray sales, bringing its total domestic home video earnings to $6,527,374.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: The film was nominated for the Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Music, Dialogue and ADR for Non-Theatrical Animated Long Form Broadcast Media award.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: In August 2018, DC released a 12-part digital comic series titled "The Death of Superman: Part 1", by veteran Superman writer Louise Simonson. In the US, retailer Best Buy offered an exclusive "Deluxe Edition" Blu-Ray containing a hardcover graphic novel titled "The Death of Superman: The Wake". The Best Buy graphic novel includes the last four chapters of Simonson's digital comic series.


title: The Death of Superman (film)

text: A sequel titled "Reign of the Supermen", was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on January 15, 2019. It is based on the second part of the storyline. The cast includes Cameron Monaghan as Kon-El / Conner Kent / Superboy and Charles Halford as Eradicator.


title: Richard D. Zanuck

text: Richard Darryl Zanuck (December 13, 1934 – July 13, 2012) was an American film producer. His 1989 film "Driving Miss Daisy" won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Zanuck was also instrumental in launching the career of director Steven Spielberg, who described Zanuck as a "director's producer" and "one of the most honorable and loyal men of our profession."


title: Richard D. Zanuck

text: Richard Darryl Zanuck was born in Los Angeles to actress Virginia Fox and Darryl F. Zanuck, then head of production for 20th Century Fox. He was the youngest of three children. He had two elder sisters, Darrylin (1931–2015) and Susan (1933–1980). While studying at Stanford University, he began his career in the film industry working for the 20th Century Fox story department. In 1959, Zanuck had his first shot at producing with the film "Compulsion". In the 1960s, Zanuck became the president of 20th Century Fox. One year of his tenure was chronicled by John Gregory Dunne in "The Studio". After failures like 1967's "Doctor Dolittle", he was dismissed by his father and joined Warner Bros. as Executive Vice President.


title: Richard D. Zanuck

text: In 1972, Zanuck joined with David Brown to form an independent production company called the Zanuck/Brown Company at Universal Pictures. Their first big hit was "The Sting" (1973) which won the Best Picture Academy Award in 1974. The two men produced a pair of Steven Spielberg's early films, "The Sugarland Express" (1974) and "Jaws" (1975). They subsequently produced such box office hits as "Cocoon" (1985) and "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989) before dissolving their partnership in 1988. They were jointly awarded the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1990. He worked with Tim Burton six times, producing Burton's adaptation of "Planet of the Apes" (2001), "Big Fish" (2003), "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), "" (2007), "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), and "Dark Shadows" (2012). He and Burton connected immediately, and Zanuck was Burton's producer of choice. In a May 2012 interview, Zanuck told "Variety": "A producer should contribute from the very beginning until the very end, in all aspects. I'm there at the set every day, on every shot. Not that the director, particularly Tim [Burton], needs me, but just in case."