The US F16 line was shutting down for good. This was the only way to keep it going as a Lockheed venture to make cheap planes competitive with what China or Russia chug out.
Also it is really common for a forging buyer to specific the planes be ‘built in country’.
This is just that, plus the US line shutting down. Want them made here? Lobby congress to buy more F-16s. Otherwise no dice.