F 16 variants

F 16 variants F is one of the most common single engine fighters since the s, so you are likely to encounter one. While officially called Fighting Falcon, it is also known by the nickname Viper.

This chapter provides a description of F variants. The first three blocks featured only minor changes. Block 1 featured a black nose radome and nose RWR antenna cover, which made the aircraft too easy to spot and recognize, so Block 5 went to a gray radome and RWR antenna cover. Block 10 featured minor internal changes, such as modified wiring. Block 1 and Block 5 aircraft were brought up to Block 10 spec from through Incidentally, although traditionally block numbers were designated by a suffix to an aircraft's normal designation, for example "FA", for whatever reasons the Air Force refuses to use this format, and always refers to an "FA Block 15".

F 16 variants

Cybermodeler Online. The appearance of U. Air Force, U. Army, U. Navy, U. Marine Corps, U. This article will provide a quick overview of each of the F Fighting Falcon versions and what is visibly different about them. There were two aircraft produced for the fly-off with the YF Once the basic flight test objectives were achieved and the F entered production, six of these eight aircraft went on to some other interesting duties:. The single-seat FA and two-seat FB were the first production variants of the Viper and these are further broken down into production blocks which we'll discuss in more detail below. Ironically, these aircraft along with most of total F fleet were later switched back to clear canopies to make the aircraft night vision goggle NVG compatible.

Archived from the original PDF on 3 January

The F Fighting Falcon is a versatile combat aircraft with a long history of being tested and proven effective in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. This compact jet offers a high-performance weapon system at a relatively low cost, making it an attractive choice for the United States and its allies. Established by General Dynamics specifically for the United States Air Force, the inception of the remarkable F dates back to its maiden flight in December with the introduction of the FA variant, which was a single-seat configuration. It was designed using cutting-edge aerospace technology and dependable components from other aircraft, including the F and F Together, they collaborated with the United States to manufacture the first Fs for their respective air forces.

It delivers greater situational awareness, flexibility and quicker all-weather targeting and provides pilots with unprecedented target area detail and digital map displays that can be tailored with slew and zoom features. Air Force in late According to U. Air Force statistics, CFIT incidents account for 26 percent of aircraft losses and a staggering 75 percent of all F pilot fatalities. Lockheed Martin has more than 36 years of weapon integration experience with the F — enabling it to be one of the most versatile multirole fighters ever. No one else can match this weapons integration experience. In concert with the U. Air Force and multiple F Foreign Military Sales customers, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3, carriage and release configurations for greater than weapon and store types. That means a highly reliable, readily maintainable jet of at least 40 years of service life for most air forces, with no expected extended structural repairs throughout that entire lifetime.

F 16 variants

Designed as an air superiority day fighter , it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4, built since Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. In , General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation , [5] which became part of Lockheed Martin after a merger with Martin Marietta. The F has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 hardpoints. In addition to active duty in the U. The F has also been procured by the air forces of 25 other nations. US Vietnam War experience showed the need for air superiority fighters and better air-to-air training for fighter pilots. Boyd's work called for a small, lightweight aircraft that could maneuver with the minimum possible energy loss and which also incorporated an increased thrust-to-weight ratio.

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This type is often used for training, with the student pilot occupying the forward cockpit and the instructor pilot occupying the rear cockpit. There were relatively minor follow-on updates to the CCIP, generally oriented towards software upgrades and so easily deployed -- with a focus on support of the latest munitions, but also improving overall system integration with added smarts. This was followed by four "Richmond recce pods", which saw service in the Balkans. Begun in , airframes were modified. Retrieved 4 April In November , the F received significant enhancements in structural and wiring provisions and systems architecture. However, they have no chute but likely more electronics. They proved expensive to operate and aggressor combat training was de-emphasized in the s, mostly for cost reasons, but possibly also because simulators provided a partial solution. In June , Bahrain finalized its order for 16 new-build FV. Block 30 and Block 32 were identical, except for the engine fit and its associated tweaks. FC , is an early FC Block These aircraft were delivered in — The F Falcon Century program, a survey and evaluation of new technologies and new capabilities that began in , was also relied upon to identify new concepts for integration onto the F through the MSIP derivative development effort. ISBN

The F Fighting Falcon is a versatile combat aircraft with a long history of being tested and proven effective in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. This compact jet offers a high-performance weapon system at a relatively low cost, making it an attractive choice for the United States and its allies. Established by General Dynamics specifically for the United States Air Force, the inception of the remarkable F dates back to its maiden flight in December with the introduction of the FA variant, which was a single-seat configuration.

There were relatively minor follow-on updates to the CCIP, generally oriented towards software upgrades and so easily deployed -- with a focus on support of the latest munitions, but also improving overall system integration with added smarts. At the right side of the intake a radar warning receiver is mounted, which is the only external recognition point. By checking this box, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. They are externally nearly the same as early Block 30 FCs with the small air intake. Retrieved 16 October Nothing came of this experiment. From that pool, the Air Force will draw airframes for its planned QF drones. It doesn't help that even within major variants Block versions there are a lot of options with regard to sensors, weapon systems, etc. Block 30 and Block 32 were identical, except for the engine fit and its associated tweaks. Archived from the original on 5 October Washington, DC.