In capable hands, an F-16 Fighting Falcon can take on fifth-generation stealth fighter jets like the F-35 Lightning II and even the F-22 Raptor.
For decades, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been the backbone of dozens of fighter jet fleets around the world.
As its era is gradually coming to a close in the coming decades, and with the development of increasingly advanced and stealth fighter jets, it is worth remembering what makes the Fighting Falcon such a superb combat aircraft.
All About the F-16 Fighting Falcon
Introduced in the late 1970s, the F-16 is a multirole fighter jet that can perform admirably in both an air-to-air and air-to-ground role. Capable of reaching speeds of over Mach 2—or roughly 1,500 miles per hour—and with an operational range of more than 2,000 miles, the F-16 is fast and reliable.
For decades, the F-16 has formed the backbone of the U.S. Air Force’s fighter jet fleet. Today, the Air Force operates more than 700 aircraft of this type. And in spite of its advanced age, the fighter is still generally regarded as one of the world’s best in its role. In terms of competition, the Air Force states that the F-16 flying in an air combat role has superior maneuverability and combat radius—the time an aircraft can stay in combat and return—than “all potential threat fighter aircraft.”
What makes the F-16 great is its relatively low cost. The most modern versions of the Fighting Falcon cost around $70 million per unit, and have lower ongoing maintenance costs than larger American fighters like the F-15 Eagle and F-35 Lightning II.
According to the Air Force, the “F-16 Fighting Falcon. . . 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.”
Throughout its history, the F-16 has been selected by more than 30 services around the world, with over 4,700 units produced since the 1970s.
America’s F-16s Just Got a Venomous Upgrade
The latest and most advanced version of the F-16 is the Block 70/72 “Viper.” Lockheed Martin, the current manufacturer of the fighter jet, states that the Viper version of the F-16 is the most advanced fourth-generation fighter jet in the world. The Block 70/72 package brings advanced features, including avionics, APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, a modernized cockpit with new safety features, the ability to carry more advanced weapons, conformal fuel tanks, and an improved performance engine. Moreover, F-16s that become Vipers have an extended structural service life of 12,000 hours.
The APG-83 AESA radar is particularly important, as it is the same technology used in fifth-generation stealth fighter jets. With the technological and structural upgrades, Lockheed Martin assesses that the F-16 Viper can operate well into the 2060s—though this assessment could undoubtedly be changed by the wider advent of fifth- and sixth-generation technology.
In capable hands, an F-16 Fighting Falcon can take on fifth-generation stealth fighter jets like the F-35 Lightning II and even the F-22 Raptor. Although at long distances the F-16 has a limited survival rate because of the stealth aircraft’s advanced sensors and ability to “hide,” at close quarters, the F-16 is deadly and could potentially outmaneuver more advanced platforms and prevail.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Sanit Fuangnakhon.
