Saab to unveil first Gripen E aircraft this week

Saab will unveil its first next-generation Gripen E test aircraft Wednesday at the company's Linkoping, Sweden, facility.

"This key milestone is proof of our ability to build world-class fighters on time and on budget and it brings us one step closer to first flight and delivery to our customer," Ulf Nilsson, head of Saab's aeronautics, said in a statement Monday.

The Gripen E multi-role fighter features a digital cockpit and improved situational awareness, can be fitted with optional sensors and communications payloads, and can be equipped with a variety of short- and long-range, guided and unguided air-to-surface weapons.

The unveiling will be webcast live starting at 3 p.m. Central European Time.

Turkey set to modernize Pakistan's F-16s
Istanbul, Turkey (UPI) May 16, 2016 - Turkey has agreed to a $75 million deal to modernize Pakistan's F-16 fleet.

Some of the Pakistani jets have already been flown to Turkey, a senior Turkish official told reporters Saturday at the Istanbul-based Foreign Economic Relations Board.

The weekend announcement comes amid continued controversy regarding a pending $700 million sale of 8 F-16s from the U.S. to Pakistan.

Some U.S. lawmakers have questioned Pakistan's use of such new jets and its steadfastness as an American ally when opposing the sale.

Volkan Yuzer, the economic relations board's Asia-Pacific regional coordinator, said Turkish-Pakistani relations were growing in the defense industry and that Turkey was already manufacturing F-16 jet engines and spare parts for the country.