Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: United States
Type: Fighter Aircraft, Air Superiority Aircraft
Manufacturer: General Dynamics, Lockheed Corporation / Lockheed Martin
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Aircraft Overview
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a fourth-generation, single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). It was designed in the 1970s as a lightweight fighter to complement the larger F-15 Eagle, with a smaller airframe and lower operating costs.
The F-16 is characterized by its high thrust-to-weight ratio, advanced aerodynamics, and versatile mission capabilities, which make it an effective aircraft for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It is equipped with a variety of advanced avionics and weapons systems, including a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon and a range of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and bombs.
Over the years, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been upgraded with advanced technology, including improved avionics and engines, to enhance its capabilities and extend its service life. The aircraft has been widely exported to several countries and is in service with the air forces of over 25 nations.
The F-16 is a highly successful and versatile fighter aircraft and has played a critical role in many military operations, including Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and more recently in Operation Inherent Resolve over Syria and Iraq. It remains a critical component of the USAF’s fighter force and is expected to continue serving in various air forces around the world for many years to come.
General Dynamics F-16C Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m)
- Wingspan: 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m)
- Height: 16 ft (4.9 m)
- Wing area: 300 sq ft (28 m2)
- Airfoil: NACA 64A204
- Empty weight: 18,900 lb (8,573 kg)
- Gross weight: 26,500 lb (12,020 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 42,300 lb (19,187 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 7,000 pounds (3,200 kg) internals
- Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F110-GE-129 for Block 50 aircraft afterburning turbofan, 17,155 lbf (76.31 kN) thrust dry, 29,500 lbf (131 kN) with afterburner
(1 × Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 for Block 52 aircraft, 17,800 lbf (79 kN) thrust dry and 29,160 lbf (129.7 kN) with afterburner.)
General Dynamics F-16C Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.05, 1,176 kn (1,353 mph; 2,178 km/h) at 40,000 feet, clean
- Mach 1.2, 800 kn (921 mph; 1,482 km/h) at sea level
- Combat range: 295 nmi (339 mi, 546 km) on a hi-lo-hi mission with 4 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs
- Ferry range: 2,277 nmi (2,620 mi, 4,217 km) with drop tanks
- Service ceiling: 58,000 ft (18,000 m) (unverified)
- g limits: +9.0
- Roll rate: 324°/s
- Wing loading: 88.3 lb/sq ft (431 kg/m2)
- Thrust/weight: 1.095 (1.24 with loaded weight & 50% internal fuel)
General Dynamics F-16C Armament
- Guns: 1 × 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barrel rotary cannon, 511 rounds
- Hardpoints: 2 × wing-tip air-to-air missile launch rails, 6 × under-wing, and 3 × under-fuselage pylon (2 of 3 for sensors) stations with a capacity of up to 17,000 lb (7,700 kg) of stores
- Rockets:
- 4 × LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 19/7 × Hydra 70 mm/APKWS rockets, respectively)
- 4 × LAU-5003 rocket pods (each with 19 × CRV7 70 mm rockets)
- 4 × LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4 × Zuni 127 mm rockets)
- Missiles:
- Air-to-air missiles:
- 6 × AIM-9 Sidewinder
- 6 × AIM-120 AMRAAM
- 6 × IRIS-T
- 6 × Python-4
- 6 × Python-5
- Air-to-surface missiles:
- 6 × AGM-65 Maverick
- 2 × AGM-88 HARM
- AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)
- 4 × AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
- Anti-ship missiles:
- 2 × AGM-84 Harpoon
- 4 × AGM-119 Penguin
- Air-to-air missiles:
- Bombs:
- 8 × CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition
- 8 × CBU-89 Gator mine
- 8 × CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon
- 4 × Mark 84 general-purpose bombs
- 8 × Mark 83 GP bombs
- 12 × Mark 82 GP bombs
- 8 × GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB)
- 4 × GBU-10 Paveway II
- 6 × GBU-12 Paveway II
- 4 × GBU-24 Paveway III
- 4 × GBU-27 Paveway III
- 4 × Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) series
- Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD)
- B61 nuclear bomb
- B83 nuclear bomb
- Others:
- SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod and chaff pod or
- AN/ALQ-131 & AN/ALQ-184 ECM pods on centerline or
- LANTIRN, Lockheed Martin Sniper XR & LITENING targeting pods or
- AN/ASQ-213 HARM Targeting System (HTS) Pod (typically configured on station 5L with Sniper XR pod on station 5R) or
- Up to 3 × 300/330/370/600 US gallon Sargent Fletcher drop tanks for ferry flight/extended range/loitering time or
- UTC Aerospace DB-110 long range EO/IR sensor pod on centerline
