The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, the first of the US Air Force multi-role fighter

aircraft, is the world's most rolific fighter with more than !,""" in ser#ice with the USAF
and !,""" oerational with !$ other countries%
The F-16 and the F-1$ &agle were the world's first aircraft a'le to withstand higher g-
forces than the ilots% The Fighting Falcon entered ser#ice in 1()(% The last of !,!*1 F-
16 fighters for the US Air Force was deli#ered in March !""$% The first two-seat F-16+
#ersion was acceted ', the US -o#ernment in .anuar, !""(%
Foreign orders ha#e included /ahrain 0ten deli#ered1, -reece 06" 'lock $! all
deli#ered1, 2srael 0$"1, &g,t 0!3 'lock 3"1, 4ew 5ealand 0!61, United Ara' &mirates 06"
'lock 6", first deli#ered !""$1, Singaore 0!"1, South 7orea 0!" 'lock $! all deli#ered1,
8man 01!1, 9hile 0ten 'lock $"1 and :oland 036 'lock $!1%
F-16 Fighting Falcon cockpit
Ad#anced e;uiment 'eing fitted on the current 'uild of the F-16 includes <one,well
colour flat-anel li;uid cr,stal multifunction disla,s, digital terrain s,stem, modular
mission comuter, colour #ideo camera to record the ilot's #iew of the head-u disla,
0<U+1, a colour trile-deck #ideo recorder and an enhanced rogramma'le disla,
generator%
Under the USAF ro=ect Sure Strike, the F-16 is e;uied with an imro#ed data
modem 02+M1, which automaticall, ro#ides target data to the <U+ using data
transmitted ', a ground o'ser#er%
The seat-'ack angle of the aircraft has 'een increased from 1*> to *"> to ro#ide
increased comfort for the ilot%
?USAF F-16 aircraft are scheduled to recei#e the /oeing =oint helmet-mounted cueing
s,stem 0.<M9S1%?
A follow-on rogramme, ro=ect -old Strike, integrates an ugraded 2+M for the
transmission of images to and from a range of sources, including ground units and
unmanned aircraft% The s,stem can transmit images from the LA4T2@4 targeting od
and disla, #ideo imager, to the cockit%
USAF F-16 aircraft recei#e the /oeing =oint helmet-mounted cueing s,stem 0.<M9S1,
currentl, in full-rate roduction% +eli#eries of roduction s,stems 'egan in !""3, the
s,stem was first delo,ed oerationall, during 8eration 2ra;i Freedom%
F-16 missiles and weapons
The aircraft has nine hardoints for weaons a,loadsA one at each wing ti, three
under each wing and one centreline under the fuselage% The ordnance is launched from
@a,theon LAU-66 launchers, MAU-1! and 8rgen 'om' e=ector racks% The ort wing is
fitted with a !"mm -eneral &lectric M61A1 multi-'arrel cannon and the gunsight is
interfaced to the cockit <U+%
Air-to-air missiles which ha#e 'een carried on the F-16 include the Lockheed Martin B
@a,theon A2M-( Sidewinder, @a,theon AM@AAM, @a,theon Sarrow, M/+A 0formerl,
Matra /Ae +,namics1 Sk,flash and AS@AAM, and the M/+A @$$" Magic !% 2n Aril
!""3, the F-16 first fired the new-generation A2M-(C Sidewinder, which is in full-rate
roduction for the USAF%
Air-to-surface missiles carried on the F-16 include Ma#erick, <A@M and Shrike missiles,
manufactured ', @a,theon, and anti-shi missiles include /oeing <aroon and
7ongs'erg :enguin% Flight tests with the Lockheed Martin =oint air-to-surface stand-off
missile 0.ASSM1 ha#e 'een conducted from the F-16%
The first guided launch of the new =oint direct attack munition 0.+AM1 was successfull,
carried out from an F-16% The F-16 was the first USAF aircraft to 'e fitted with the =oint
stand-off weaon 0.S8D1 in Aril !"""%
The F-16 can 'e fitted with Lockheed Martin wind-corrected munitions disenser
0D9M+1, which ro#ides recision guidance for 9/U-6), -6(, and () cluster munitions%
The s,stem corrects for launch transients, 'allistic errors, and winds aloft%
The F-16 will 'e the first aircraft to use the USAF's new weaon rack, the &do
9ororation /@U-$)% The /@U-$) is a #ertical e=ection rack which dou'les the aircraft's
caacit, for recision-guided weaons like .+AM and D9M+%
All-weather stand-off weaons such as the A-M-63& stand-off land-attack missile
0SLAM1 and the A-M-13! :oe,e 22 are lanned to 'e included in future ugrades to
the aircraft% 8ther ad#anced weaons include M29A, 2@2S-T, :,thon 2E, Acti#e Sk,flash
air-to-air missile, ALA@M antiradiation missile, Aache multimission stand-off weaon,
autonomous free-flight disenser s,stem and AS*"L laser-guided missile%
Targeting
The F-16 carries the Lockheed Martin LA4T2@4 infrared na#igation and targeting
s,stem% This is used in con=unction with a /A& S,stems holograhic disla,% /lock
$"B$! aircraft are e;uied with the <A@M Targeting S,stem, A4BASF-!1* from
@a,theon%
US Air 4ational -uard F-16 aircraft are fitted with 4orthro -rumman Litening 22 B
Litening &@ targeting ods%
?Air-to-surface missiles carried on the F-16 Fighting Falcon include Ma#erick, <A@M
and Shrike missiles%?
2n August !""1, Lockheed Martin was selected to ro#ide the Snier C@ as the new
ad#anced targeting od for USAF F-16 and F-1$& aircraft%
Snier C@ 0eGtended range1 incororates a high-resolution mid-wa#e FL2@, dual-mode
laser, 99+ TE, laser sot tracker and laser marker com'ined with ad#anced image
rocessing algorithms% +eli#eries 'egan in March !""*%
F-16 fighters for 8man will 'e e;uied with /A& S,stems ad#anced air'orne
reconnaissance s,stem% Those for :oland and Morocco will 'e e;uied with the
-oodrich +/-11" reconnaissance od%
Countermeasures
/lock $" F-16 aircraft for the USA are e;uied with the Lockheed Martin
suerheterod,ne A4BAL@-$6M radar warning recei#er% The F-16 is also comati'le with
a range of =ammers and electronic countermeasures e;uiment, including 4orthro
-rumman A4BALF-1*1, @a,theon A4BALF-163, &lisra S:S *""" and &lta &LBL-6!3",
and the 4orthro -rumman ALF-16$ self-rotection suite%
Lockheed Martin AL&-3" and AL&-3) chaff and infrared flare disenser s,stems are
installed in an internal flush mount% AL&-3" is ilot-controlled 'ut the AL&-3) installed in
'lock $" can 'e oerated in full,, semi-automatic or manual mode%
F-16s for the -reek Air Force are 'eing fitted with the @a,theon ad#anced self-
rotection integrated suite 0AS:2S1 22 which includes 4orthro -rumman AL@-(*0E1
threat warning s,stem, @a,theon ALF-16) =ammer and /A& S,stems AL&-3) chaff B
flare disenser%
F-16s for 9hile and :akistan are fitted with the 2TT A4BALF-!11 0E1 3 electronic warfare
suite%
Radar
The 4orthro -rumman A4BA:--66 radar ro#ides !$ searate air-to-air and air-to-
ground modes, including long-range, all-asect detection and tracking, simultaneous
multile-target tracking, and high-resolution ground maing% The lanar antenna arra,
is installed in the nose of the aircraft%
An ugraded #ersion of the radar, A4BA:--660E1(, has 'egun flight testing% The
ugrade featuresA *"H increase in detection range, fi#e times increase in rocessing
seed, ten times increase in memor,, as well as significant imro#ements in all modes,
=am resistance and false alarm rate%
Navigation and communications
The F-16 was the first oerational US aircraft to recei#e a glo'al ositioning s,stem
0-:S1% The aircraft has an inertial na#igation s,stem, either a 4orthro -rumman
0Litton1 L4-*(, L4-(* ring laser g,roscoe or <one,well <-3!*%
?The F-16 Fighting Falcon carries the Lockheed Martin LA4T2@4 infrared na#igation
and targeting s,stem%?
8ther na#igation e;uiment includes a /A& S,stems Terrom digital terrain na#igation
s,stem, -ould A4BA:4-!*! radar altimeter, @ockwell 9ollins A4BA@4-116 tactical air
na#igation s,stem 0TA9A41 and @ockwell 9ollins A4BA@4-1"6 instrument landing
s,stem%
The communications s,stems include the @a,theon U<F A4BA@9-163 recei#er B
transmitter and @ockwell 9ollins E<F AMBFM A4BA@9-166 together with A4BA:C1"1
identification friend or foe 02FF1 and encr,tion B secure communications s,stems% The
A4BA:C-1"1 is 'eing ugraded with /A& S,stems A4BA:C-11*%
Engines
The aircraft is owered ', a single engineA the -eneral &lectric F11"--&-1!( or :ratt
and Dhitne, F1""-:D-!!(% The fuel sul, is e;uied with an inert gas anti-fire
s,stem% An inflight refuelling ro'e is installed in the to of the fuselage%
Lockheed Martin has comleted de#elomental flight testing on new conformal fuel
tanks 09FT1 for the F-16, which will significantl, add to the aircraft's mission radius% First
flight of the F-16 e;uied with the new tanks was in March !""*% -reece is the launch
customer for the 9FT%
F-16 Fighting Falcon international orders and deliveries
?The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the world's most rolific fighter%?
2srael, with the world's largest F-16 fleet outside the USAF, has ordered 11" F-162
aircraft, of which the first was deli#ered in +ecem'er !""*% These aircraft ha#e :ratt I
Dhitne, F1""-:D-!!( engines, &l'it a#ionics, &lisra electronic warfare s,stems and
@afael weaons and sensors, including Litening 22 laser target designator ods% 2tal, has
leased *3 aircraft until the first tranche of &urofighter deli#eries are comleted% <ungar,
will ac;uire !3 eG-USAF fighters%
2n +ecem'er !""$, -reece ordered a further *" 'lock $!J fighters 0!" F-169 single
seat and 1" F-16+ two-seat1 to 'e deli#ered from !""(% Under the :eace Cenia 2E
urchase rogramme, the total num'er of fighters ordered ', -reece's <AF0<ellenic Air
Force1 rose to 1)"% The first :eace Cenia 2E F-16 'lock $! ad#anced aircraft was
deli#ered on 1( March !""(% The remaining were deli#ered ', !"1"%
2n .une !""$, :akistan re;uested the foreign militar, sale 0FMS1 of *6 F-169B+ 'lock
$"B$! aircraft% 2n .une !""6, the :entagon notified congress of its intention to agree the
sale and Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract for 1! F-169 and siG F-16+ 'lock $!
aircraft in +ecem'er !""6% The aircraft are armed with AM@AAM and Sidewinder
missiles and the Snier targeting od% The lanned order of the second 16 aircraft was
cancelled%
2n Setem'er !""6, Turke, re;uested the sale of an additional *" ad#anced 'lock $" F-
16 aircraft% The order was signed in Ma, !"")% The aircraft were deli#ered in !"11 and
!"1!% The total cost of these additional aircraft is estimated at more than K!%('n
eGcluding Turke,'s K1%1'n ugrade rogramme for its eGisting F-16 fleet%
2n +ecem'er !""), Morocco re;uested the sale of !3 F-169B+ 'lock $"B$! aircraft% The
deal includes the aircraft, mission e;uiment and a suort ackage ro#ided ',
Lockheed Martin and other US and international contractors% The @o,al Moroccan Air
Force 0@MAF1 laced a K!**%6m order in .une !""6%
The F-1624 Suer Eier, which is a de#eloment of 'lock 6", has 'een designed for the
2ndian Air force% 2t is a fourth-generation fighter that meets the medium multirole com'at
aircraft 0MM@9A1 re;uirements% 2t includes 4orthro -rumman A:--6" A&SA radar
and -eneral &lectric F11"-1*!A engine with *!,"""l' thrust%
Earious F-16 ugrade and modernisation rogrammes are underwa, in Turke,,
:akistan and .ordan, and within the US Air Force% Future ugrades include air refuelling
ro'es, auGiliar, ower unitu, auto ground collision a#oidance s,stems and automatic
manoeu#ring attack%
F-16 common configuration implementation programme (CC!"
6$" USAF 'lock 3"B$" F-16s are 'eing ugraded under the common configuration
imlementation rogramme 0992:1% The first hase of the rogramme 0first aircraft
comleted in .anuar, !""!1 ro#ides core comuter and colour cockit modifications%
The second, which 'egan in Setem'er !""!, in#ol#es fitting the ad#anced A4BA:C-
11* interrogator B transonder and Lockheed Martin Snier C@ ad#anced FL2@ targeting
od%
The third, which started in .ul, !""*, adds Link 16 datalink, the /oeing =oint helmet-
mounted cueing s,stem and an electronic horiLontal situation indicator% 8erational
testing of the M* ugraded fighters was comleted in Setem'er !""3% +eli#eries were
comleted in !"1"%
?2srael has the largest F-16 fleet outside the USAF%?
A!16 'lock 3"B$" F-16 aircraft of the Turkish Air Force are to 'e ugraded with
elements of the 992:, under an agreement reached in Aril !""$% Lockheed Martin was
awarded the contract to sul, the modernisation kits in +ecem'er !""6% The ugrade
is scheduled for comletion in !"16%
The eGort #ersion of the Snier C@ od, the :A4T&@A, has 'een ordered ', the
@o,al 4orwegian Air Force% The first was deli#ered in 4o#em'er !""*%
/lock $"B$! is the eighth ma=or modification 'lock of the F-16 that incororates colour
cockit disla,s, new electronic warfare suite, ad#anced weaons and sensors and
more owerful engines%
F-16E#F $lock 6% upgrade
The 'lock 6" F-16&BF, which is 'eing de#eloed for the United Ara' &mirates, features
eGtra a,load and range, in art due to the new F11"-1*! engine 'eing de#eloed ',
-eneral &lectric, which roduces 13$k4 of thrust%
4ew a#ionics for the 'lock 6" includes a higher-seed mission comuter, a new disla,
rocessor, three large colour L9+ disla,s, ad#anced data transfer unit with a fi're-
otic data transfer network% :recision targeting is achie#ed ', the 4orthro -rumman
integrated na#igation FL2@ and targeting FL2@ s,stem using mid-wa#e infrared arra,s
and 4orthro -rumman's A:--6" agile 'eam acti#e electronicall, scanned 0A&SA1
radar%
4orthro -rumman is ro#iding the integrated electronic warfare suite% First flight of the
'lock 6" aircraft took lace in +ecem'er !""*% +eli#eries of 6" 'lock 6" aircraft to the
UA& 'egan in Ma, !""$ and concluded in !""(%