F-16 FIGHTING FALCON, best light fighter yet?

F-16 Fighting Falcon:

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations.

In an air combat role, the F-16's maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay, fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions.

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History:

The air war experience in Vietnam, where the lack of maneuverability of US fighters at transonic speeds provided advantages to nimble enemy fighters, was the stimulus for the Lightweight Fighter program. The Air Force and designers of the Lightweight Fighter therefore placed great emphasis on achieving unprecedented transonic maneuver capability with excellent handling qualities.

In January 1972, the Lightweight Fighter Program solicited design specifications from several American manufacturers. Participants were told to tailor their specifications toward the goal of developing a true air superiority lightweight fighter. General Dynamics and Northrop were asked to build prototypes, which could be evaluated with no promise of a follow-on production contract. These were to be strictly technology demonstrators. The two contractors were given creative freedom to build their own vision of a lightweight air superiority fighter, with only a limited number of specified performance goals. Northrop produced the twin-engine YF-17, using breakthrough aerodynamic technologies and two high-thrust engines. General Dynamics countered with the compact YF-16, built around a single F100 engine.

The evolution of the YF-16 design at LMTAS included studies of configuration variables such as wing design, maneuvering devices, number and location of engines, control surfaces, number and location of tail surfaces, and structural concepts. As the configuration options matured, two candidate configurations competed for priority. The first configuration was a simple wing, body, and empennage design, while the second design was a twin-tailed, blended-wing body with vertical and horizontal tails on booms. The LMTAS team selected the best features of both configurations for the final YF-16 design. After considerations of performance, stability, and control were addressed, the YF-16 configuration incorporated a rather wide, blended forebody that produced strong vortices at moderate angles of attack. LMTAS had attempted to weaken the strength of the vortices by promoting attached flow, but these attempts were not successful.

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Design:

In designing the F-16, advanced aerospace science and proven reliable systems from other aircraft such as the F-15 and F-111 were selected. These were combined to simplify the airplane and reduce its size, purchase price, maintenance costs and weight. The light weight of the fuselage is achieved without reducing its strength. With a full load of internal fuel, the F-16 can withstand up to nine G's -- nine times the force of gravity -- which exceeds the capability of other current fighter aircraft.

The aerodynamic configuration of the F-16 is a highly integrated synthesis of such components as wing, fuselage, and inlet, with the aim of achieving maximum favorable flow interaction with subsequent optimization of overall performance. Configuration features include a cropped delta wing mounted near the top of the fuselage with large strakes extending forward from the leading edge to the sides of the fuselage. A single vertical tail is utilized together with a small fixed ventral fin located on the bottom of the fuselage. The all-moving horizontal tail is mounted in the low position and incorporates a small amount of negative dihedral.

A fixed-geometry, chin-mounted inlet supplies air to the single Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan engine, which is a variant of the same power plant utilized in the F-15. Since the forward portion of the fuselage provides some external flow compression, reasonable inlet efficiency is obtained even at a Mach number of 2.0. Good inlet efficiency through a wide range of angle of attack is ensured by the location of the inlet on the bottom side of the fuselage at a fore-and-aft location behind the forward intersection of the wing strakes with the side of the fuselage.

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Israeli F-16D showing the enlarged spine on some Israeli F-16D:s that houses SEAD and defence electronics.


Good pic showing F-16s M61 A1 Vulcan 20mm Gatling cannon installation. Hear Vulcan firing!!!


USAF F-16C armed with two AIM-120 AMRAAM BVR missiles.


As one can see the F-16s have had their share of the wars.. with some good success in air-to-air combat.
(this Israeli machine has 5 Syrian kills.)


Or like this Israeli F-16 which has 6,5 kills (one shared..) and was one of the aircrafts that bombed
the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq.
(each attacking aircraft carrying 2 2000lb MK84 bombs.)



Major feats for aircraft that was 'only' designed to replace F-5s and counter MiG-21s..

Latest F-16 C/D Block 60+ (and F-16 I) aircrafts really are more like strategic strike aircrafts than tactical light fighters..



Good exambles just how good of a an aircraft F-16s are:

F-16s were build to counter MiG-21s, yet they have least twice shot down MiG-25s Least 1 Iraq MiG-25 by USAF F-16 using AMRAAM BVR missile in 1992 and at least 1 Syrian MiG-25 by Israeli F-16..



Build to counter mach 2 MiG-21 light fighter, capable on taking mach 3 heavy MiG-25 Foxbat..



www.f-16.net...

And btw,

I really dont even want to mention the 1980s turkey shoot of SyAF by IDF/AF..

That was so brutal show of force by IDF/AF and F-16s against SyAF MiG-21/23/25..

As F-16s shot down more than 40 losing only 1-4 or as Israelis claim, NONE!!!



www.acig.org...
home.sprynet.com...
(There you can see some of those..)

Fulcrum, next time don't copy and paste full articles, it really doesn't add anything, and nobody reads it anyway...

====

A Dutch F-16 shot down a Mig-29 during the balkan war, I believe that was in '99.
====
THe F-16 is indeed one of the best light attack aircraft, but, because so many were build it shot down a high nu,ber of enemy aircraft.

I'd honestly say that the best light attack aircraft at this moment is the swedish JAS-39 Gripen (I'm a big fan of that aircraft).

JAS-39 Gripen info...

[Edited on 8-10-2003 by Zion Mainframe]

ZM,

JAS 39 is fine enough, maybe the best.. (light fighter)

But it has no combat record.. yet.. and it is quite likely that none of JAS 39:s will not ever see any combat.



F-16 on the other hand have plenty wars fought.. and success gained.




PAF F-16s also have plenty AA combat experience, intercepting Soviet and Afgani gov. aircraft doing cross-border raids to the Mujahediin camps in Pakistan during 80s.
(PAF has between 6/8 confirmed to 40 claimed kills with these.. losing 1 in either friendly fire or to MiG-23 MLD of Soviet FA.)

The F-16 is so much better than the Grippen. More in the morning, going to bed now.

Originally posted by FULCRUM
ZM,

JAS 39 is fine enough, maybe the best..

Ah I'm glad you noticed it might the best

More and more countries are considering purchasing the JAS-39. South Africa and Hungary already have (and Sweden of course).

Facts about Gripen

1. Gripen is the most capable and cost effective combat aircraft in operation today
   
2. The cost per flying hour for Gripen is lower than any other aircraft of its class
   
3. Gripen fulfils all national and NATO defense requirements
   
4. Gripen will remain at the forefront of combat aircraft technology for decades to come
   
5. A total of 232 airframes have been ordered so far.
   

I'll bet if they installed some canard winglets onto an F-16 it would be able to actually do a usable cobra maneuver,make the canard wings and rear horizontal stabiliser capable of working independently and the plane could probably splatter the pilot on the canopy with the g-forces it could generate.
Some structural reinforcement would obviously be necessary too.
Just think,canards pulling up the front of the airframe and standard h-stabs pulling down the rear,very fast response to input,like ripping itself in half,kind of like 4-wheel sterring on a car.

John/Uni/Fulcrum...a man after my own heart!
I will get to this later on today....got classes and then a root canal......


regards
seekerof

Originally posted by Seekerof
John/Uni/Fulcrum...a man after my own heart!

I will get to this later on today....got classes and then a root canal......

regards
seekerof

Ok,

Get to this when ready..

Sorry about 'root canal' that must suck..



But back to the topic..

There is no denying that F-16s have good combat record, is damn good looking and is one if not the most safest military planes to fly.. (the accident / crash rate is very low..)




IDF/AF F-16 in trouble, looks bad..


But really isnt, this 'Viper' will be fine after some repairs..



Lockheed Martin Commemorates 25th Anniversary Of First Global Production F-16 Delivery

F-16 Facts:


1) The F-16 is unique among fighters on the worldwide market today. It is fully modern, yet fully proven. It is a consistent winner, unmatched in many categories:
Best fighter value ? first-rate capability at affordable cost to procure, operate and support

2) Most sought-after fighter ? 4,400+ ordered by 24 countries; winner of two-thirds of all competitions in lifetime; more than 90 percent of U.S. fighter export orders since 1995; more than 150 refurbished aircraft transferred to six countries

3) Highest customer satisfaction ? 49 follow-on orders by 14 countries

4) Most versatile multirole fighter ? excels in all fighter missions, many system options, largest stores inventory (100+ stores in 5,000 certified loadings)

5) Backbone of fighter forces ? main fighter in USAF, other air forces, NATO and coalitions; continues for many years into future

6) Outstanding flight performance ? agility, mission radius, handling qualities

7) Well-organized modernization programs employing latest technologies ? production block upgrade program since beginning; major retrofit upgrades for all versions; technology sharing among customers, production/retrofit programs, and other platforms (like F/A-22 and F-35)

8) Most upgraded fighter in history ? continuous improvements to sensors, avionics, cockpit, electronic warfare systems, engines, airframe systems and structure

9) Favorite technology flight-test bed ? demonstration and development of most new fighter systems and weapons; applications to multiple aircraft types

10) Design leader ? many features adopted for other aircraft such as Taiwan IDF, Japan F-2 and Korea T-50. First operational fighter to introduce such advanced technologies as bubble canopy, side-stick controller, high-g cockpit, modular construction, fly-by-wire flight, longitudinal instability, large forebody strakes, wing-body blending, automatic variable camber wing, MIL-STD-1553 multiplex avionics bus and fiber optic data buses, Global Positioning Systems and integrated navigation solution, ventral conformal fuel tanks, certain new precision weapons

11) Favorite flight-demonstration aircraft ? USAF Thunderbirds, USAF numbered air force demo aircraft, other air forces

12) Most wins in weapons competitions ? both air-to-air and air-to-ground

13) Most combat experience ? many major operations, 10 air forces, 200,000+ combat sorties, 71:0 air combat record

(71:0 is not the truht.. first F-16 may have more kills than 71 and also some have been lost to MiG:s and at least one to Greek Mirage 2000, which accidentaly shot down intruding TuAF F-16)

14) Most reliable, maintainable, supportable ? proven in worldwide operations at 80+ bases in every climate, size of force and support concept; worldwide logistics network with depot capability in more than a dozen countries

15) Best training opportunities ? maintenance and pilot training by U.S. Air Force and F-16 industrial team

16) Outstanding safety record ? continually improving over 25 years and 10 million flight hours

17)Best interoperability ? proven in many NATO and coalition operations

18) Lowest lifetime risk ? affordable worldwide logistics support and upgrades for the many users over next 30+ years ? assured by governments and defense industries led by the United States

19) Full spectrum of acquisition alternatives ? lease/purchase, new/used, contracting and financing options

20) Largest and most successful multinational coproduction program ? 12 countries, assembly lines in five countries

21) Largest and most successful defense industrial cooperation ? high-technology transfer, more than $30 billion in 24 countries already achieved, meeting or exceeded all commitments

22) Most successful DoD acquisition program ? consistently meeting requirements of technical capability, cost, schedule and quality; leader in acquisition initiatives including multiyear procurement; meeting latest standards of quality and environmental/health/safety; winning many prestigious awards.

(This not the whole page ZM..)

You forgot to mention the tests between the Super Cobra and the Falcon... the SuperCobra out preformed the Falcon on many issues and performances... the Air Force chose the Falcon becuase it was cheaper and only had one engine.

Granted, the Falcon does make a great weapons platform, and so many variations exist, while the Hornet is relatively unchanged... oh, wait... wouldn't that be a downside? The fact that the manufactures have to constantly readjust and modify the F-16, doesn't that show that something... is flawed?



I don't mean to insult anyone, because people will have different opinions, no matter what; I am just curious, though... if the F-16 is such a great fighter, then why must the Air Force constantly readjust its configuration, and constantly bring newer planes into its fold?

Now, unlike the Hornet (personal favorite, being ex-Navy ), which hasn't undergone several modifications or redesign work... which out-did the Falcon during the Air Forces new fighter tests (which, surprisingly, the Hornet also almost matched the Tomcat)...

*lost my train of thought... I'll edit later*

I remember the controversy when Canada decided to buy the F-16 Hornet. They were also looking at the F-15 Tomcat at the time and I think the F-14 was also around then.

It turns out that the Hornet has been quite a good plane and thankfully a good deal for all those that bought it. Hopefully any replacement can live up to its very high standards.

Regarding upgrades that is natural as electronics and weapons system improve it makes sense to retrofit planes. The basic platform doesn't change too much in a lot of planes over the short-term.

In case anyone doubts my knowledge on this plane I had a very good friend that was an avionics expert on this plane and worked at Littion Systems here in Toronto. I learned a lot about it from him. Mind you that was some time ago now. I remember a lot of discussion when HUD's first came along.

F-16 is indeed a nice fighter.
It will be remember for long.
Just by look at the history of fights of this plane you can see it is biult to kill.

Originally posted by THENEO
I remember the controversy when Canada decided to buy the F-16 Hornet. They were also looking at the F-15 Tomcat at the time and I think the F-14 was also around then.

Did you mean to do that, or is it deliberate?

Originally posted by DeltaNine

Originally posted by THENEO
I remember the controversy when Canada decided to buy the F-16 Hornet. They were also looking at the F-15 Tomcat at the time and I think the F-14 was also around then.

Did you mean to do that, or is it deliberate?

Delta,

He means it..



He isnt the brightest 'expert' around here..

That is sad..

F-16 Video from here:

• F-16s vs. Kfirs dog fight!!!
  

Some F-16 Pages:

• F-16 Fighting Falcon..
  
  
• Lockheed Martins F-16 page..
  
  
• USAF F-16 Fact Sheet..
  
  
• F-16 Gallery..
  
  
• Interactive F-16..
  
  
• Code one Magazine: F-16..
  
  
• F16 Airshow ACTION *** SPECIAL ***..
  
  
• F-16.NET This is still the best..
  
  
• PHOTOVAULT - F-16..
  
  
• Global aircraft.org - F-16..

Ok,

There is 10 hot links.. all worth checking for..

Plus the video which is a must!!!




Just beautiful..


Viper logo..

darn i dont like vipers.
i guess i dont like f-16 too.

Originally posted by DeltaNine

Originally posted by THENEO
I remember the controversy when Canada decided to buy the F-16 Hornet. They were also looking at the F-15 Tomcat at the time and I think the F-14 was also around then.

Did you mean to do that, or is it deliberate?

Anyway, I wouldn't call the F-15 Tomcat ( ) a light fighter.

The F-16 is a prehistoric machine, is isn't getting replaced by newer fighters (F-35, F-22, Eurofighter, Gripen, Mirage etc...).

ps. I really like the F-22 Joint Strike Fighter, don't you

Originally posted by Russian
darn i dont like vipers.
i guess i dont like f-16 too.

I agree 100%! I've always thought the single engine was it WORST design feature. A single good hit by a simple IR missile like the stinger could bring it down. I have never liked the F-16. Give me a good Navy F/A-18 over the F-16 any day.

Tim

Quality posts about F-16s..

That was too much hoped for, as i see now..



And btw, anything with two engines isnt a 'light figter'..
(except MiG-29 early versions, and btw USAF consider C and D versions of F-16 to be a 'heavy fighters'..)

So take your crappy F/A-18s out of here!!!



Grippen how ever is a 'light figter'..

As are about all single engined fighters except F-105..



Facts about F-16s..

But if you others dont want to participate i will do this by myself.



As F-16 is finest 'light fighter' of its generation and deserves our respect.




Israeli F-16D, armed with 4 Mk.83s (1000lb / 454kg) bombs and sidewinders on the wingtip launchers.
(this pic also give a great view of the enlarged spine on IDF/AF F-16Ds that are SEAD tasked..)

One of the most amazing things is that the F-16 has not expierenced downward "mission creep". It is still at or near the top of the food chain after all these years. That and the huge number of these planes built make the argument.