Peru Selects Viper Shield to Protect Future U.S.-Made F-16 Block 70 Fighters Against Radar Threats.

Peru selected L3Harris Technologies’ AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for its future F-16 Block 70 fighters, adding an integrated digital self-protection capability to the new fleet. The choice strengthens the aircraft’s ability to operate against radar-guided threats while tying Peru more closely to U.S. combat aviation systems and support networks.

L3Harris confirmed the selection on August 18, 2026, making Peru the eighth country to choose Viper Shield as production scales toward 233 systems. The suite will complement the F-16 Block 70’s AN/APG-83 AESA radar, General Electric F110-GE-129 engine and planned AIM-120C-8 and AIM-9X Block II missile inventory, giving the Fuerza Aérea del Perú a modern combination of radar, electronic warfare and networked air combat capabilities. Peru’s initial U.S.-approved package covers 12 aircraft, ten F-16Cs and two F-16Ds, within a Foreign Military Sales package valued at up to $3.42 billion, while Lima has also considered a longer-term fleet of up to 24 fighters.

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A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon flown by Maj. Taylor Hiester performs during an aerial demonstration at Las Palmas Air Base in Peru on April 23, 2026, as Lima advances its transition toward a future F-16 Block 70 fleet. (Picture source: US DoD)

This development also reflects Peru’s demanding operational geography. The country must monitor its Pacific coastline, extensive inland approaches and long borders with Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia. Army Recognition reported in February 2026 that Lima was considering the eventual acquisition of up to 24 new-build F-16 Block 70 fighters, while the U.S. offer formally approved in September 2025 initially covers twelve aircraft, consisting of ten single-seat F-16Cs and two twin-seat F-16Ds. The gap between the reported fleet objective and the first authorized batch therefore remains substantial. It suggests that recapitalization could be conducted in phases rather than through a single procurement.

In a statement published on August 18, 2026, L3Harris Technologies confirmed that the Peruvian government had selected Viper Shield for the F-16 Block 70 program. The company stated that Peru is the eighth country to choose the suite and that its production line is moving toward full-rate output of 233 systems. The AN/ALQ-254 had already appeared in the U.S. Foreign Military Sales notification issued on September 15, 2025, as part of a package valued at up to $3.42 billion. The notification also included fourteen AN/APG-83 radars, fourteen General Electric F110-GE-129 engines, and the support equipment required to establish the new fleet.

Viper Shield uses a fully digital software-defined architecture developed by L3Harris with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force. Its digital radar warning receiver is intended to detect and characterize hostile emissions, while its jamming functions are designed to interfere with tracking radars and certain guidance chains associated with surface-to-air and air-to-air threats. The system also employs Digital Radio Frequency Memory techniques that can record, reproduce, and modify radar signals. Its software-based architecture is intended to facilitate updates to threat libraries as new emitters and radar operating modes appear.

The F-16 Block 70 also provides Peru with a new-build airframe designed for a structural service life of 12,000 flight hours, around 50 percent more than early F-16 standards. The aircraft can exceed Mach 2, sustain loads of up to 9 g and reach a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 21.8 tonnes. Peru’s aircraft are expected to receive the General Electric F110-GE-129, an engine in the 29,000-pound thrust class, providing propulsion for both rapid interception missions and heavier air-to-ground configurations. The Block 70 also introduces a new 6-by-8-inch high-resolution center display, an updated mission computer, and the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System. The Peruvian package also includes Infrared Search and Track systems and JHMCS II helmet-mounted displays. Together, these systems expand passive detection, target designation and weapon employment options without requiring exclusive reliance on the aircraft’s onboard radar.

Viper Shield is designed to operate in close interaction with the Block 70’s AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar. This active electronically scanned array radar improves detection, simultaneous tracking of multiple targets, and engagement management in complex air environments. It is integrated with an avionics package that includes the Modular Mission Computer 7000AH, missile warning equipment, AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispensers and a tactical data link compatible with Link 16. The weapons package approved for Peru also includes AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM missiles for beyond-visual-range interception and AIM-9X Block II Sidewinders for short-range combat. AN/AAQ-28 Litening targeting pods further expand targeting, reconnaissance and precision-strike options.

This combination is primarily intended to preserve the F-16’s effectiveness in airspace where surveillance radars, guided missiles and electronic warfare systems can restrict the freedom of action of a fourth-generation fighter. Viper Shield is intended to provide the pilot with greater awareness of the electromagnetic environment and an active response against hostile radars. When paired with the APG-83 and AIM-120C-8, it can support long-range engagements while reducing vulnerability to radar systems attempting to detect or track the aircraft or guide a missile against it. The F-16 remains a non-stealth platform, however. Its effectiveness will depend on electronic mission data, crew training, ISR support, spare-parts availability and the depth of missile stocks.

By adopting the F-16 Block 70 with an AESA radar, U.S.-supplied missiles and an integrated EW suite, Lima is entering more deeply into the operational and logistical ecosystem of the United States. The decision facilitates interoperability with Washington and its partners while increasing the U.S. presence in the South American military aviation market. This cooperation already has a practical operational framework. In 2024, Peru hosted the multinational Resolute Sentinel exercise, conducted with U.S. Southern Command and involving around 1,500 personnel from seven countries in activities ranging from cyber defense to Agile Combat Employment and combined air operations. The introduction of the F-16 could extend this cooperation by bringing Peruvian and U.S. air force procedures, communications and training practices closer together. It also comes in a South American environment where relations with Washington vary according to national governments, sovereignty priorities and diplomatic orientations. In this context, a deeper partnership with Lima provides the United States with a durable military cooperation framework on the Pacific side of the continent.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.