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United States · Active and in production

F-16 Fighting Falcon

Fourth-generation multirole fighter

A lightweight, highly agile multirole fighter whose affordability and adaptability have made it one of the world’s most successful combat aircraft.

Introduced1978
SpeedMach 2.0
RangeApprox. 550 km combat radius
Crew1–2
Platform profile

Technical overview

Manufacturer
Lockheed Martin
Primary role
Fourth-generation multirole fighter
Dimensions
15.0 m length · 10.0 m span
Operators
United States and more than 25 international operators
Variants
F-16A/B · F-16C/D · F-16E/F · F-16V Block 70/72
Operational status
Active and in production
Complete platform dossier

F-16 Fighting Falcon details

Identity

Full name
General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon
Type
Multirole fighter
Generation
Fourth generation
Manufacturer
Lockheed Martin (originally General Dynamics)
Country of origin
United States
First flight
20 January 1974
Entered service
1978
Crew
1; 2 in trainer and selected combat variants

Primary roles

  • Air superiority
  • Multirole strike
  • Close air support
  • Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD)
  • Reconnaissance

Variants

F-16A/B
Early single- and two-seat variants
F-16C/D
Improved multirole production variants
F-16E/F
Advanced export variants
F-16V / Block 70/72
Latest production and upgrade standard with AESA radar

Performance

Maximum speed
Mach 2.0
Combat radius
Approximately 550 km, mission dependent
Service ceiling
50,000+ ft (15,240+ m)

Engine

  • 1 × Pratt & Whitney F100 or General Electric F110 afterburning turbofan, depending on block

Stealth features

  • Not a stealth aircraft
  • Small airframe and modern electronic-warfare systems improve survivability

Avionics

  • AN/APG-83 AESA radar on F-16V / Block 70/72
  • Fly-by-wire flight controls
  • Helmet-mounted cueing
  • Modern targeting pods and data links

Armament

Internal gun
1 × 20 mm M61 Vulcan
Air-to-air missiles
AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder family
Air-to-ground weapons
JDAM, Paveway laser-guided bombs and AGM-65 Maverick

Payload

Maximum external payload
Approximately 7.7 tonnes
Hardpoints
11

Strengths

  • Relatively low operating cost
  • Highly agile
  • Operated by more than 25 countries
  • One of the most successful fighter designs in history

Limitations

  • Single-engine design
  • Shorter combat radius and smaller payload than heavyweight fighters
  • External weapons and fuel increase radar signature

Operators and customers

United StatesBelgiumDenmarkEgyptGreeceIsraelJordanNetherlandsNorwayPakistanPolandPortugalRomaniaSingaporeSouth KoreaTaiwanThailandTürkiyeUnited Arab Emirates and other operators

Interesting facts

  1. Pilots commonly call it the “Viper.”
  2. Its relaxed-stability fly-by-wire design helped set a new standard for fighter agility.
  3. More than 4,600 aircraft have been produced across numerous blocks and variants.