The F-16 Fighting Falcon is named after the mascot of the US Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. The idea behind the F-16 was to build a large number of lightweight low cost fighters to augment the squadrons of larger, more expensive F-14s and F-15s. The enormous costs of the huge and tremendoulsy capable Tomcats and Eagles made them unaffordable in sufficient numbers. The USAF solution was the hi-lo mix, small and affordable airplanes to back up the expensive superfighters. The result was the F-16, a multi-mission aircraft developed by General Dynamics. The primary assembly line is at the General Dynamics plant in Fort Worth, Texas, although it is also produced by factories in Belgium and the Netherlands.

The prototype YF-16 (72-1567) was rolled out at Fort Worth on 13 December 1973, and delivered by C-5A Galaxy transport to Edwards Air Force Base on 8 January 1974 where it underwent high-speed taxi testing. On 13 January 1975, Air Force Secretary McLucas announced that the YF-16 had been chosen over the Northrop's YF-17 (now the Navy's F/A-18 Hornet) as the USAF's ADF (Advanced Day Fighter). The sheer maneuverability of the F-16 has seen it adopted by the USAF Air Demo Squadron - The Thunderbirds.

Swift and agile yet capable of carrying heavy bomb loads, it may serve as an interceptor or fighter-bomber. Its control surfaces are entirely fly-by-wire, meaning that the work once done by hydraulics is now done in the F-16 by a computerised network of electric motors - hence its nickname, the Electric Jet. The view from the cockpit is outstanding, and the F-16 could sustain a 9g turn over a small portion of the envelope. To increase the pilot's g-force tolerance, the heel line was set high and the McDonnell Douglas ACES II (Advanced Concept Ejection Seat) reclined backwards to a steep angle of 30 degrees. Another innovation was a side-stick controller located on a cockpit console to the right of the pilot. Sold to many countries around the world, the F-16 has also proved itself in the attack role.

The F-16 's outstanding performance in the air-to-air arena coupled with its air-to-ground capability makes it a dynamic weapon system. In the air superiority role, the F-16 has twice the maneuvering capability and over twice the combat radius of action of any fighter in its class. In addition, it has exceptional air-to-ground bomb load carrying radius. The F-16 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney F-100 turbofan engine providing 12,150 kgs of thrust - enabling the aircraft to accelerate even in the vertical plane. The Mach 2 Fighting Falcon is easy to service and has one of the lowest turn-around times in the Desert Storm theatre; an engine change can be made in about 30 minutes.

General Dynamics' (now Lockheed Martin's) F-16 continues to undergo constant evolution. A complicated series of modifications has led to a number of distinct variants and blocks within variants all with their own unique capabilities and recognition features. The A in F-16A refers to a Block 1 through 20 single-seat aircraft. The B in F-16B refers to the two-seat version. The letters C and D were substituted for A and B, respectively, beginning with Block 25. Block is an important term in tracing the F-16's evolution. Basically, a block is a numerical milestone. The block number increases whenever a new production configuration for the F-16 is established. Not all F-16s within a given block are the same. They fall into a number of block subsets called miniblocks. These sub-block sets are denoted by capital letters following the block number (Block 15S, for example). From Block 30/32 on, a major block designation ending in 0 signifies a General Electric engine; one ending in 2 signifies a Pratt & Whitney engine.

AGM-65 Maverick!	Parking	The Viper	Sidewinder AIM-9!
Taxiing	Bandits 10 o'clock !	Camouflaged marking	BBQ anyone ?

F-16 Fighting Falcon Variants
YF-16	The first prototype YF-16 (72-1567) was rolled out at Edwards Air Force Base on 8 January 1974. Its first flight was an unintended short hop around the pattern on 21 January 1974 at the hands of test pilot Phil Oestricher. The first official flight took place on 2 February 1974 again with Phil Oestricher at the controls. The second prototype YF-16 (72-1568) was flown for the first time on 9 March 1974 with test pilot Neil Anderson at the controls..
FSD F-16A/B	General Dynamics built 8 full-scale development (FSD) F-16A/B airframes. The first FSD F-16A flew at Fort Worth on 8 December 1976 while the first two-seat FSD F-16B flew on 8 August 1977.
F-16A/B Block 1	The F-16A/B Block 1 is easily distinguishable by the black radome and radar warning receiver (RWR) covers. Power is provided by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan engine.
F-16A/B Block 5	The F-16A/B Block 5 aircraft introduced the grey radome and nose RWR cover which became standard for all later Fighting Falcons.
F-16A/B Block 10	Block 10 aircraft introduced minor internal changes Twenty four F-16A/B Block 10s were modified for the close air support role with the 154 kg General Electric GPU 5/A centreline pod. Some Block 10 aircraft have become GF-16A ground instructional airframes.
F-16A/B Block 15	F-16A/B Block 15 (also known as MSIP Stage 1)aircraft introduced the enlarged horizontal stabiliser, which reduces take-off rotation angle and allows flight at higher angles of attack. Minor changes to the AN/APG-66 radar provided limited track while scan capability. A Have Quick UHF secure voice radio system was also introduced, along with a new cockpit layout.
F-16A/B Block 15 OCU	Block 15 OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade) aircraft introduced structural reinforcement, minor changes and the enlarged HUD found on F-16C/Ds. This variant also refers to F-16s powered by the more reliable 118.32 kN thrust F100-PW-220E turbofan.
F-16A/B Block 15 MLU	Aircraft subject to the Block 15 Mid-Life Update (MLU) are refurbished with a cockpit similar to that of the F-16C/D Block 50/52. They are equipped with AN/APG-66(V2A) fire control radar, a GPS navigation system and other features including a wide-angle HUD, night vision goggle compatibility, a modular mission computer replacing the existing three and a digital terrain system.
F-16A/B Block 20	F-16A/B Block 20 aircraft are being built for Taiwan and they have the improved AN/APG-66(v)2 radar of MLU aircraft but employ different IFF.
F-16C/D Block 25	The improvements introduced on the F-16C/D was originally known as the MSIP Stage II, or Block 25. It was redesignated F-16C/D in 1981. So F-16C/Ds all begin with Block 25. Block 25 added the ability to carry AMRAAM to the F-16 as well as night/precision ground-attack capabilities, and an improved radar (the Westinghouse now Northrop-Grumman AN/APG-68) with increased range, better resolution, and more operating modes. The Block 25 Fighting Falcons employ the ALR-69 radar warning receiver and carry two ALE-40 chaff/flare dispensers.
F-16C/D Block 30/32	Block 30/32 can carry and launch the AGM-45 Shrike, the AGM-88A HARM and the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Block 30/32 also introduced the Seek Talk Secure Voice Communication system. They also have the capability of carrying and launching the Hughes AGM-65D Maverick air-to-air missiles. Block 30 designates a General Electric F110-GE-100 engine and Block 32 designates a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engine.
F-16CG-DG Block 40/42	The next major production block was Block 40/42, sometimes also known as the "Night Falcon" because of its enhanced night/all-weather capabilities. Block 40/42 (also part of MSIP III) introduced the LANTIRN navigation and targetting pods, the GPS navigation receiver, HARM II, APG-68V radar, digital flight controls, automatic terrain following and a defractive optics HUD.
F-16C/D Block 50/52	Equipped with a Northrop Grumman APG-68(V)7 radar and a General Electric P110-GE-129 engine. Ability to carry the CBU-103/104/105 Wind-Corrected-Munitions Dispenser.
F-16C/D Block 50D/52D	Block 50D/52D F-16C/D Wild Weasel - is best recognized for its ability to carry the AGM-88 HARM in the suppression of enemy air defenses [SEAD] mission. This specialized version of the F-16, which carries the ALQ-119 Electronic Jamming Pod for self protection, became the sole provider for Air Force SEAD missions when the F-4 Wild Weasel was retired from the Air Force inventory.
F-16CJ-DJ Block 50/52.	Block 50D/52D modifications for electronic flight.
F-16 Block 60	In May 1998 the UAE announced selection of the Block 60 F-16 to be delivered between 2002-2004. The upgrade package consists of a range of modern systems including conformal fuel tanks for greater range, new cockpit displays, an internal sensor suite, a new mission computer and other advanced features including a new agile beam radar.
F-16/79	The F-16/79 first flew on 29 October 1980 with Company test pilot James A, McKinney. This variant was meant for export and is powered by the General Electric J79-GE-17X single-shaft turbojet. Hence the aircraft came to be known as the F-16/79.
F-16ADF	Air Defence variant, ( serving with Air National Guard ).
F-16/CCV	The first YF-16 (72-1567) was rebuilt in December 1975 to become the USAF Flight Dynamics Laboratory's Control Configured Vehicle (CCV). The YF-16/CCV flew for the first time on 16 March 1976 piloted by David J. Thigpen. The CCV YF-16 was fitted with twin vertical canards added underneath the air intake.
F-16MLU	The first ideas for a major avionics upgrade for the RNLAF were launched in 1985 and were supported by the other three European Participating Air Forces (European F-16 users) in 1986. The project became known as the F-16 Mid-Life Update, or MLU for short.
F-16N	The F-16Ns were built for the US Navy in 1987/88. They were used for dissimilar air combat training (DACT) in a program designed to enhance Navy air combat training and to emulate Soviet aircraft capabilities and tactics. They also equipped the Naval Fighter Weapons School (better known as Top Gun) based at NAS Miramar, California, which took delivery of its first F-16Ns in June 1987. The F-16N was based on the standard Block 30 F-16C/D and was powered by the General Electric F110-GE-100 engine.
TF-16N	These are two-seaters F-16Ns for the US Navy.
F-16XL	In February of 1980, General Dynamics made a proposal for a Fighting Falcon version with a radically-modified wing shape. The project was known as SCAMP ( Supersonic Cruise Aircraft Modification program) and later as F-16XL. The wing was to be a cranked-delta wing shape with double the area of the standard F-16 wing. The first of the two F-16XLs (75-0749) had a single seat whilst the second F-16XL (75-0747) was fitted with a F-16B two-seat cockpit taken from an FSD F-16B that had been damaged in a landing accident. In late 1988, these two prototypes were turned over to NASA. They were used in a programme designed to evaluate aerodynamics concepts to improve wing air flow during sustained supersonic flight.
F-16E	Single seat version of F-16XL (first flight 3 July 1982)
F-16F	Double seat version of F-16XL (first flight 29 October 1982)

Countries operating the F- 16s
Bahrain	Jordan	Republic of Korea
Belgium	Netherlands	Singapore
Denmark		Thailand
Egypt	Norway	Turkey
Greece	Pakistan	UAE
Indonesia	Portugal	USA
Israel	Republic of China	Venezuela

Falcon's

• Three-Four-Nine - The ultimate F-16 reference.

• 315 Sqn, F-16 Fighting Falcon - all about the F-16 Squadron of the KLu.

• The F-16 Fighting Falcon Page - Info, pics and history by Gustav Uhlander.

Fly back to Hangar.

This page was edited on Friday, 17 January 2003.