HOW IT WAS! KUNSAN AIRBASE 35th & 80th Fighter Squadron Histories

• Heraldry and Notes on Selected Squadrons -- 35th Aerosquadron; 36th Aerosquadron; 80th Pursuit Squadron
  

• 8th Pursuit Group Activated -- 35th & 36th Pursuit Squadrons at Langley Field
  
• 8th Pursuit Group in World War II
  -- 80th Pursuit Squadron joins 8th PG; Aircobra; New Guinea; P-38 Lightning; Mindoro, Phillipines; Ie Shima, Ryuku Islands -- Narratives of Dino Cerruti
  
  • Aces of the 8th Fighter Group -- List and writeups on J.T. Robins, Dan Roberts, & George Welch
    
  
  
  
• 8th FBG at Ashiya, Japan (1946-1948) -- Narratives of Dino Cerutti
  
• 8th FBG at Itazuke, Japan (1948-1952) -- Transition to P-51D Mustang; Transition to F-80C Shooting Star; Creation of the 8th Fighter Wing (1948-1951)
  
  

• Overview of the First Days of the Korean War (1951) -- Bout One; First Days of War; List of 8th FW kills
  
• First Kill of the Korean War to 68th All-Weather Fighter Squadron -- Attached to 8th FW
  
• 8th Fighter Bomber Wing: From Pyongyang to Itazuke to Kimpo
  
  • 35th and 36th FBS F-51Ds Move to Tsuiki AB -- 8th FW splits; Formation of the "Hobo Squadron"; Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
  • Pohang: "Hobo" Squadron Goes to Yonil Airfield -- Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
    

  • Evacuation of Pohang -- Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
  • Pusan Perimeter
    
  • Hobo Squadron Heads North -- Inchon Landing
    
  • Hobo Squadron Falls Back to Itazuke -- Chinese counterattack
    
  • 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing Returns to Kimpo -- Allies retake Seoul -- Narratives of John Glassford, Sr.
    
  
  
  
• 8th Fighter Bomber Wing History (1952-1955) -- Suwon AB, Korea
  
  • Move to Suwon (Aug 52)
    
  • Morale Building
    
  • Hobo Name Fades from Memory
    
  • Air Interdiction: The Name of the Game
    
  • Attack on Pyongyang (Jul 52) -- Article: "Hot Sky Over Pyonyang"
    
    

  • Training Mission -- Article
    
  • Major Charles Loring (Nov 52) -- Article: "Sacrifice at Sniper Ridge"
    
  • Bridges at Sinanju and Yongmidong (10-15 Jan 53)
    
  • Conversion to F-86F Sabre
    
    

  • 35th FBS "Black Panthers" -- Ken Creasy's narratives and photos: Korean Conflict Honors; After the Armistice; MiG kills (May 55); F-94B Night Fighters at Suwon;
    
    

  • Base Ops at K-13 (1954) -- Article: Night Flight
    
  
  
  
• 8th FBW at Itazuke, Japan -- Conversion to F-100
  
  
  • 8th FBW (1957-1961) -- TDY at Kunsan; Nuclear alert moves to Osan AB, Korea
    
  • 8th FBW (1963) -- Conversion to F-105 Thunderchief
  
  
  
  

• 8th TFW at George AFB, CA (1964) -- Conversion to F-4D Phantom II
  
  

• 8th TFW at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand (1965) -- Birth of the Wolfpack; MiG Kills; Operation Bolo; Robin Olds & Chappie James; 16th SOS; 13th TBS; Battle Damage; Crashes; Maintenance
  
  
  • 35th Fighter Squadron (Sep 74 - Present) "Pantons"
    
  • 80th Fighter Squadron (Sep 74 - Present) "Juvats"
  
  
  
• General Dynamics F16C/D (Sep 1981 - Present)
  

Willy's Web Award Willy's Web (NR) England

Superior Community Resource Award Nu-Horizon Design Studio (NR) Canada

Acknowledgement: Thanks to HQ PACAF History Office for its source materials. Another excellent site used to trace the history of the 8th Fighter Wing is 8FW Lineage. Also thanks to the The Thailand-Laos-Cambodia Brotherhood for its excellent coverage of the Vietnam War years.

The Headhunters Homepage is an outstanding site by Col. Jay Riedl (ret.) for anyone associated with the 80th -- past or present. It relates the history of the 80th from its cattle-boat ride to Australia on the "Maui Scowie" through New Guinea combat in World War II through the Korean Conflict to the present. The website is filled with trivia from how the unit got its name the "Headhunters" in Port Moresby, New Guinea to how the "Juvat" tag came about by the tearing of patches. A must-see site for any Juvat. The unit tail color is yellow.

The OFFICIAL homepage for the 80th FS is 80FS Home Page located on the Kunsan AB Military Website. In my opinion, it is far better than this poor offering here. It is a superbly well-done site that should be visited by anyone interested in the 80th Fighter Squadron.

The following is abridged from the Juvat Fact Sheet on the Kunsan AB Website.

80th FS History: (Acknowledgement: This history excerpted from the 8TFW history and the Headhunters Homepage.)

The 80th Fighter Squadron flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon out of Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, and is one of two fighter squadrons assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing.

Originally activated Jan. 6, 1942, as the 80th Pursuit Squadron at Mitchell Field, N.Y., the 80th has flown many aircraft during its operations. They include the P-39D, P-51, F-80, F-100, F-105 and F-4.

On being assigned to Australia in the summer of 1942, the 80th awaited the arrival of its P-39s being sent in from the United States in crates. The squadron's first combat mission was flow from Port Moresby, New Guinea, July 22, as the unit provided air cover for B-25s striking Japanese convoys off Burma. The 80th scored its first victory Aug. 26 when it engaged and destroyed six enemy aircraft, the first of more than 200 such victories during the war.

In January 1943, the squadron was re-equipped with higher performance Lockheed P-38 "Lightnings", which it operated for the rest of the war. The majority of the unit's activities consisted of light and medium bomber escort and ground support attacks. From its first combat base in New Guinea, the squadron moved through Borneo, the Celebes Islands, Netherlands, East Indies and the Philippines.

From Christmas 1943 to Christmas 1944, the 80th was busy providing aerial defense for landings in the Philippines. The squadron moved to Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 26, 1944, and flew its first mission against the Japanese mainland the following day. On Aug.12, 1945, the 80th flew its final combat mission in World War II.

During the course of the war, the squadron accounted for 225 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air -- the second highest in the theater -- receiving 10 battle honors and three Distinguished Unit Citations.

During the post-war period, the squadron moved to Itazuke Air Base, Japan, and converted from the P-38 "Lightning" to the P-51 "Mustang", then to the F-80 "Shooting Star". On June 26, 1950, one day after the North Korean forces invaded the Republic of Korea the 80th went into action because of its location at Itazuke. The 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron was one of the first units to see combat in the Korean Conflict and became the first American unit to fly jet aircraft in combat. Dale Walker of Keokuk, Iowa wrote in the Korea War Project, "I was in 80th Fighter Bomber Squadron (Headhunters) June 1950 to Feb. 1952. ... We were at Itazuke Air Base, Fukuoka, Japan, when the war started. We flew missions out of there for a short time before going to Korea-K-l4 or Kimpo Air Base. Our Commanding Officer was one of the very first airmen killed in the War. He was Major Amos L. Sluder. I understand there is a Memorial Section in The Air Force Museum at Dayton,Ohio, honoring Major Sluder and the 80th Ftr Bmr Sq."

At the start of the conflict, the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing initially consisted of only 2 squadrons: the 35th FBS (Pantons) and the 36th FBS (Flying Fiends). The 80th was assigned to the 8th FBW on Aug. 11, 1950. The squadron flew combat missions for the duration of the Korean Conflict with the 8th FBW and accounted for 17 enemy aircraft destroyed. Throughout the Korean Conflict, the 80th FBS primarily conducted air-to-ground operations, providing close air support for United Nations ground forces, and striking enemy resources such as supply centers and transportation assets.

As U.S. forces pressed the attack on North Korean forces on Dec. 1, 1950, the 8th FBW (and the 80th) moved to Pyongyang, North Korea. Then only days later on Dec. 9, the wing moved to K-14 (Kimpo Air Base), South Korea. In January 1951, it started flying full-time from Kimpo but also flew out of K-13 (Suwon) as well. However, the Chinese intervention and capture of Seoul in January 1951 forced it out of Kimpo and Suwon to K2 (Taegu). After the Chinese were pushed back in March 1951, the 80th returned to Suwon. (Go to Suwon history by A1C Vasquez to learn of this period.) From 1952-1954, the 35th was stationed at K-13 (Suwon Air Base). At Suwon the unit transitioned from the F-80Cs to the F86F fighter bombers during March 1953.

Being a jet unit, it was forced to operate only from prepared runways limited its effectiveness during the initial days of the war. A paper entitled "THE US AIR FORCE IN KOREA: Problems that Hindered the Effectiveness of Air Power" by Maj Roger F. Kropf, USAF, states, "The Air Force was moving into the jet age in 1950. Unfortunately, there were no long, reinforced runways in Korea, and only four in Japan, to support the Air Force's new jet aircraft. Flying from Japan, the F-80 was at the edge of its range, had virtually no loiter time, and initially had no bomb racks to carry bombs and napalm. Typical ordnance consisted of .50-caliber guns and rockets. At one point, an entire squadron averaged only 441 pounds of bombs dropped per day over a 17-day period.69 Although modifications to the F-80 were rapidly made, the USAF still pulled hundreds of World War II-vintage F-51s out of mothballs for air-ground missions. F-51s and P-47s were both considered for the mission. ..."

"As the front moved early in the war, the older planes were flexible enough to use primitive runways reinforced with metal matting, while those jets that had moved from Japan to Korea were tied to a few large fields-with major consequences when they fell into enemy hands. For example, when Seoul fell again in January 1951, FEAF lost the large jet air bases at Kimpo and Suwon. In anticipation of a possible evacuation of Korea by all US forces, jets were also moved to Japan from Pusan, Taegu, and other bases. The F-86s were back in Japan, where they no longer had the range to provide air superiority and protect the Eighth Army from air attack. The only air power available for CAS and AI were F-51s, B-25s, and B-26s operating out of the primitive Korean airfields, thus greatly reducing FEAF capabilities."

Flying an F-80 Major Charles Loring of the 80th FBS sacrificed his life in action on 22 Nov. 1952 and received the Medal of Honor. His citation reads as follows:

A MUST SEE site for any Juvat is the Headhunters Homepage by Colonel Jay Riedel that deals with the 80th Fighter Squadron "Headhunters" (WWII to present). A superb site!!!

Col Jay E. Riedel
905 Arapaho Ct.
Columbus, GA 31904-1242
Email: JayBirdOne@mindspring.com

35TH FIGHTER SQUADRON:

The modern histories by the 8th FW often mentions the "Pantons" nickname when referring to the unit in World War II or the Korean Conflict. However, this is incorrect. According to Jim James who flew with the 36th FBS at K-13 (Suwon), the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron was known as the "Black Panthers." (See 36th Flying Fiends Homepage.) He states, "The name Panton had to have been after 1953. The three squadrons went by their old World War II names: Black Panthers, Flying Fiends (Puking Pups), and Headhunters." In "A Ridge Too Far" by John Lee Burns, Col, USAF, Ret., it states, "The 35th TFS Black Panthers (F-4D) had been deployed TDY from Kunsan AB, Korea to SEA on 1 April 1972." Thus we know it was AFTER 1972 when the unit joined the 8th TFW that the "Panton" tag was adopted. It is assumed that the squadron wanted to distance itself from the racially divisive and militant "Black Panthers" of the "Black Power" movement in the 60s-70s.

The unit motto however, has a long history, though approved in 1980. According to Oscar Creasy of Fredericksburg, VA. the 35th's motto -- "First to Fight" -- was in use in Suwon, Korea from at least 1953 on.

The unit flew the same aircraft as the 80th FS, including F-105 "Thuds" in Vietnam. However, though the unit has an illustrious history (and is frequently mentioned in other unit histories), I cannot locate an official veteran's association homepage for this unit. Unit tail color is blue.

The following is abridged from the 35th Fact Sheet on the Kunsan AB Website. 35th FS History: The 35th Fighter Squadron flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon out of Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, and is one of the two fighter squadrons assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing.

The 35th FS dates back to May 25, 1917, when the unit was activated as the 35th Provisional Aero Squadron. On June 12, 1917, it became the 35th Aero Squadron. The 35th was an aircraft maintenance squadron at the time and served in France from September 1917 to February 1919. It was at Camp Kelly, TX between June 12 - August 11, 1917; and between November 1917 - January 1919, it was assigned to the Third Aviation Instruction Center. (Etampes, France, 20 Sep 1917; Paris, France, 23 Sep 1917; Issoudun, France, Nov 1917; Clisson, France, 4 Jan 1919; St. Nazaire, France, 9-20 Feb 1919). Upon the unit's return to the United States after the armistice, it was involved in the massive American disarmament and demobilization March 19, 1919 at Garden City, New York.

It took 13 years before American defense officials realized the need for a strong air arm, and on March 24, 1932, the squadron was reconstituted and redesigned the 35th Pursuit Squadron at Langley Field, Virginia. Activated on June 25, 1932. For the next few years, the 35th flew the P-12, P-6, PB-2, A-17 and P-36 out of Langley Field, Va. On December 6, 1939, the unit was redesignated the 35th Pursuit Squadron (Fighter) and moved to Mitchell Field, N.Y., to fly the P-40 Warhawk. The unit became the 35th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 12 Mar 1941. It remained at Mitchell Field, NY from November 14, 1940 - January 26, 1942.

On May 15, 1942, it became the 35th Fighter Squadron. In March 1942, the newly-named 35th Fighter Squadron entered combat in the Pacific. It became the 35th Fighter Squadron, Two Engine, on 19 Feb 1944 and the 35th Fighter Squadron, Single Engine, on 8 Jan 1946. During World War II, its members flew a variety of aircraft, including the P-40 and the P-38 Lightning, and accounted for 124 kills. The unit was based in Australia, New Guinea, Leyte and le Shima. It first arrived at Brisbane, Australia on 6 Mar 1942 and then moved to Port Moresby, New Guinea on 26 Apr 1942. It relocated to Woodstock, Australia on 29 Jun 1942 and then to Townsville, Australia, 27 Jul 1942. It bounced back and forth between New Guinea and Australia for replenishment. (Milne Bay, New Guinea, 18 Sep 1942; Mareeba, Australia, 24 Feb 1943; Port Moresby, New Guinea, 10 May 1943; Finschhafen, New Guinea, 25 Dec 1943; Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 19 Feb 1944; Nadzab, New Guinea, 14 Mar 1944) However, once the Japanese had started to fall back in 1944, the unit island hopped to Owi, Schouten Islands, 1 Jul 1944 and Morotai, 4 Oct 1944. Then it was on to the Philippines at Dulag, Leyte, 5 Nov 1944 (operated from Morotai, 5-28 Nov 1944); San Jose, Mindoro, 20 Dec 1944) From there the unit moved to Okinawa at Ie Shima on 9 Aug 1945. At the end of the war, the 35th was moved to Fukuoka Air Base, Japan, and received P-51 Mustang aircraft. In Japan, it moved from base to base. (Fukuoka, Japan, c. 21 Nov 1945; Ashiya AB, Japan 20 May 1946; Itazuke AB, Japan, 5 Sep 1946; Ashiya AB, Japan, 15 Apr 1947; Miho AB, Japan, 10 Aug 1948; Itazuke AB, Japan, 16 Jun 1949; Tsuiki AB, Japan, 11 Aug 1950)

When the Korean Conflict began the unit was stationed at Itazuke Japan, the squadron (now redesignated as the 35th Fighter Bomber Squadron) entered combat. The squadron had converted to F-80C Shooting Stars, but still had some F-51 Mustangs that were used for tow-target duties. On January 1, 1950 it became the 35th Fighter Squadron, Jet, which was swiftly changed to 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on 20 Jan 1950.

During the first days of the war, the fighters were in Korea to only provide air-cover for the evacuation as the authority of General MacArthur only extended to the waters' edge of Korea. It was not until the 27th that the fighters from Japan could not attack. "USAF Opns in the Korean Conflict," 25 Jun-1 Nov 50, USAF Hist Study 71, pp. 5-6. states, "On 27 June the evacuation of American and other foreign nationals continued from Kimpo and Suwon Airfields at an increased pace. During the morning 3 North Korean planes fired on four American fighters covering the air evacuation and, in the ensuing engagement, the U.S. fighters shot down all 3 enemy planes near Inch'on. Later in the day, American fighter planes shot down 4 more North Korean YAK-3 planes in the Inch'on-Seoul area. During 27 June F-80 and F-82 planes of the 68th and 338th All-Weather Fighter Squadrons and the 35th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the Fifth Air Force flew 163 sorties over Korea."

The Crimson Sky, John R. Brunning, pp. 5-7 expands upon the description above. It said:

The 35th was first stationed at Suwon AB, South Korea on 7 Oct 1950 and then it moved to Kimpo AB, South Korea on 26 Oct 1950. As U.S. forces pressed the attack on North Korean forces, the 8th FBW (and the 35th) moved to Pyongyang, North Korea on November 25, 1950. Then only days later on Dec. 3, 1950, the wing moved to K-14 (Kimpo Air Base), South Korea. It returned to Itazuke AB, Japan on 10 Dec 1950 because its F-80s could not fly from unprepared runways. In January 1951, it started flying again from Kimpo but also flew out of K-13 (Suwon) as well. However, the Chinese intervention and capture of Seoul in January 1951 forced it out of Kimpo and Suwon to K2 (Taegu). After the Chinese were pushed back in March 1951, the 35th returned to Kimpo on June 25, 1951, and on August 24, 1951, it started flying from Suwon AB, South Korea. (Go to Suwon history by A1C Vasquez to learn of this period.) From 1952-1954, the 35th was stationed at K-13 (Suwon Air Base). At Suwon the unit transitioned from the F-80Cs to the F86F fighter bombers during March 1953.

Ken Creasy of Fredericksburg, VA remembers those days in 1953. He wrote, "In late 1953 or early 1954 I returned to Korea to Suwon K-13 AFB with the 35th FTB Sqd. The 35th did several Bug-outs to different air base in Korea & Formosa , before we moved out to Itazuke Japan. On one of our Bug-out's I can't remember which Base K-8, K-9 or which base it was we were flying recon along the 38 Parallel & was engaged in a Dog fight with some MIG-15's in which we shoot down 1 or 2 I can't recall just how many . Our planes had the Blue strips on the tail , our sister squadrons the 36 & 80 had red & yellow strips on their tail." Ken later wrote that the "bug-outs" were just exercises to operate from another base...not a real evacuation. He also remembered that "The 4th Fighter Interceptor Sq was the outfit across the field from us there at K-13 , also we had a Sqd of F-94s the radar night intercepts on the same side of the field as we were , they flew night recon mission." The F-94s belonged to the 319th FIS -- a brave group of flyers flying an aircraft that at best was "inadequate" and prone to mid-air collisions due to its Hughes radar lock-on problem.

Being a jet unit, it was forced to operate only from prepared runways limited its effectiveness during the initial days of the war. A paper entitled "THE US AIR FORCE IN KOREA: Problems that Hindered the Effectiveness of Air Power" by Maj Roger F. Kropf, USAF, states, "The Air Force was moving into the jet age in 1950. Unfortunately, there were no long, reinforced runways in Korea, and only four in Japan, to support the Air Force's new jet aircraft. Flying from Japan, the F-80 was at the edge of its range, had virtually no loiter time, and initially had no bomb racks to carry bombs and napalm. Typical ordnance consisted of .50-caliber guns and rockets. At one point, an entire squadron averaged only 441 pounds of bombs dropped per day over a 17-day period.69 Although modifications to the F-80 were rapidly made, the USAF still pulled hundreds of World War II-vintage F-51s out of mothballs for air-ground missions. F-51s and P-47s were both considered for the mission."

"As the front moved early in the war, the older planes were flexible enough to use primitive runways reinforced with metal matting, while those jets that had moved from Japan to Korea were tied to a few large fields-with major consequences when they fell into enemy hands. For example, when Seoul fell again in January 1951, FEAF lost the large jet air bases at Kimpo and Suwon. In anticipation of a possible evacuation of Korea by all US forces, jets were also moved to Japan from Pusan, Taegu, and other bases. The F-86s were back in Japan, where they no longer had the range to provide air superiority and protect the Eighth Army from air attack. The only air power available for CAS and AI were F-51s, B-25s, and B-26s operating out of the primitive Korean airfields, thus greatly reducing FEAF capabilities."

When the Korean Conflict ended, the 35th moved back to its old home at Itazuke Air Base, Japan on 20th October 1954. In 1956, the squadron converted to F-100D/F Supersabres. On July 1, 1958 the unit became the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron. In 1963, the squadron received F-105 Thunderchiefs to replace the F-100s and moved to Yokota Air Base, Japan in May 1964.

35th Tactical Fighter Squadron

A few months afterwards, the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing moved to the United States (to George AFB, California). Stationed at Yokota until 1971, the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron served under several different parent units over the next few years, including the 6441st Tactical Fighter Wing and 41st Air Division, and finally the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing of Yokota AB.

In 1964, the 35th was deployed to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (24 Sep-20 Nov 64), as one of the first units to fight in Southeast Asia and later, to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (4 May-25 Jun 65 and 19 Oct-5 Nov 65). When the Pueblo incident occurred in January 1968, the 35th and the other squadrons of the 347th were deployed to the 347th TFW Det 1 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. It would remain on alert here until 1970 when the tension decreased.

For a short time, the 35th was assigned to the 475th TFW Det 1 at Kunsan in preparation for the 3rd TFW arrival. On March 15, 1972, the 35th, now flying the F-4 Phantom, moved to its present location. When the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing arrived in May 72, it was absorbed into the unit. During its tenure with the 3rd TFW at Kunsan, the 35th TFS deployed to Vietnam and Thailand. The 35th TFS was deployed at DaNang AB, South Vietnam from 3 Apr-12 Jun 1972 (366th TFW) and Korat RTAFB, Thailand, 13 June-12 Oct 1972 (388th TFW).

From "A Ridge Too Far" by John Lee Burns, Col. USAF, he states, "The 35th TFS Black Panthers (F-4D) had been deployed TDY from Kunsan AB, Korea to SEA on 1 April 1972. (YES! Recall was Saturday at 0700 hours after a LONG HAPPY HOUR on APRIL FOOL'S DAY! That's a whole 'nuther story!). By the end of May, the squadron had moved from the 366th TFW DaNang AB, South Viet Nam to the 388th TFW Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. (Korat squadrons?) "

He continued, "The 35th was one of the most experienced F-4 squadrons in South East Asia ( SEA ). Although we had about 8 1Lt aircraft commanders, we had been training them for 6 months prior to deployment. The rest of the squadron averaged over 1800 hours of F-4 time and included 8 Fighter Weapons School graduates (LtCol Lyle Beckers, Maj Walt Bohan, and Captains Charlie Cox, Jim Beatty, Joe Moran, George Lippemeier, Will Mincey, and me). Our squadron commander was LtCol Lyle Beckers."

"Most of the Linebacker II missions the Korat wing had been flying were barrier cap, escort and hunter-killer ( F-4 'follow up' or 'buddy' bombers with the Korat F-105 Weasels ). The Wing DCO (Deputy Commander for Operations) Col Vojvodich wanted to get the Korat wing to be the main Strike Force on our share of the Alpha strikes into Route Package 6 ( the NE section of North Viet Nam, which includes Hanoi, Haiphong and other 'tourist' attractions ). Col Vojvodich also seemed to 'like' flying with the 'new guy' and 'more experienced' 35th on these missions."

The 35th TFS was eventually assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing on Sept. 16, 1974. In September 1981, the 35th and its sister squadron, the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron, became the first two overseas units to convert to the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The squadrons and wing dropped the word "tactical" from their titles during a reorganization Jan. 31, 1992 becoming the 35th Fighter Squadron.

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An interesting Panton site is the Zone which is the beer-bar (Panton Hootch) at Kunsan for the Panton maintainers.

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General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon

Wolfpack F-16s (2001)
(U.S. Air Force Photo)
Click on photo to enlarge

The F-16C is an outstanding and highly maneuverable fighter that can also double as a ground attack aircraft. Its only weakness is its inability to operate from rough airstrips.

The US Airforce developed a ground attack version of the is agile fighter to replace the A-10. Capable of over the twice the speed of the lumbering Warthog, the F-16 is better equipped to fight in poor weather conditions and carries superior electronic countermeasures. But the F-16 can only operate from prepared runways, and is much less able to survive battle damage. Nevertheless, the F-16s good range and respectable weapon load make it a dangerous enemy.

F-16C Postflight at Kunsan

The first F-16C/D versions, designated as Block 25 aircraft, were delivered in July 1984. Block 30/32 aircraft followed in June 1986; Block 40/42 aircraft initially were delivered in December 1988; and Block 50/52 aircraft were first shipped in October 1991. Block 20 F-16s, specifically adapted to the lightweight air-superiority role, were first delivered in July 1996, and the proposed Block 60 aircraft could be delivered in mid-2002.

At present, there are 19 military services using the F-16, including the U.S. Navy, plus another three countries--Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and New Zealand--that have selected the F-16, but not yet received their aircraft.

There have been 110 different versions of the F-16 built, plus one more that is in production, but has not yet been delivered. This is the Block 50/52 F-16C scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Air Force in 1999.

Greetings from the Wolfpack:
Keith Ferris

New Block-40 F-16s Arrive:

Kunsan, Montana Guard team up to transfer fighters in March 2001

According to the release, the Block 40s gave the Wolf Pack the ability to fight day or night, in all weather. Block-40s added a Low Altitude Navigation Targeting Infrared Night (LANTIRN) system, which are intake-mounted pods that allow pilots to locate and mark enemy targets at day or night. Block-40s also give pilots precision targeting capability. LANTIRN systems consist of two pods, a Navigation Pod and a Targeting Pod. Navigation Pods use a forward-looking infrared system that allows the pilot to see targets in the pod's field of view, day or night. Targeting Pods allow the pilot to precisely designate a target using the pod's internal laser beam. After bomb release, a special guidance unit on the front of the weapon guides on the laser energy reflecting off of the target.

Nov 2000 Block 40 arrives: Taking the fight to the night

In addition to employing laser-guided munitions, Block-40s were equipped with an "Improved Data Modem." The IDM allowed the pilot to "station keep, or monitor the position of other IDM-equipped aircraft by displacing their relative position on a multi-function display in the cockpit. It also permits Air Liaison Officers assigned to the ground maneuver units to "data burst" real-time target information directly into the cockpit of inbound aircraft, thus allowing the pilot to remain heads-up while simultaneously reducing exposure time in the target area.

The article further stated that Kunsan's 35th and 80th FSs began using Night Vision Goggles.

The following is extracted from F-16.net: F-16C/D Block 40/42:

F-16C/D
Block 40/42

History

The next major production block (Block 40/42), sometimes known as the "Night Falcon" because of its enhanced night/all-weather capabilities, appeared in 1989. It was designated F-16CG/DG when the USAF wanted to call the LANTIRN capable Viper an F-16G, but Congress wouldn't approve a "new" aircraft, which was politically seen as a threat to the F-22. The first Block 40/42 F-16 rolled out of the Fort Worth facility in December 1988, and was delivered during the same month. Production ended temporarily in 1995, and will restart again in 1999 to build a 21-aircraft order for Egypt. Excluding a potential order from Bahrain, a total of 765 Block 40/42 aircraft will have been built by the end of the millennium.

New Technologies

Block 40/42 (also part of MSIP III) introduced the LANTIRN navigation and targeting pods and the associated holographic HUD, the GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation receiver, APG-68V(5) radar (with a 100+ hour Mean Time Between Failures or MTBF) and ALE-47 decoy launchers, digital flight controls (replacing the old analog ones), automatic terrain following, and a diffractive optics heads-up display. Also included were a new positive-pressure breathing system to improve G-tolerance for the pilot, full provisions for internal electronic countermeasures, an enhanced envelope gun sight, and a capability for bombing moving ground targets.

Structure

The configured engine bay has options for either the General Electric F110-GE-100 (Block 40) or the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 (Block 42), although the two engines are not routinely interchangeable. The airframe was provided with greater structural strength, which raised the 9G capability from 26,900 pounds to 28,500 pounds. Maximum take-off weight was increased to 42,300lbs (19,187kg).

The undercarriage legs were made longer in order to provide more adequate clearance for the two underfuselage LANTIRN pods, and were beefed up to handle the increased weight. The aircraft also has bulged landing gear doors to accommodate the larger wheels and tires, and the landing lights were moved to the nose gear doors.

Modifications & Armament

The Martin-Marietta LANTIRN (Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infra-Red for Night) system consists of two separate pods, each mounted underneath the air intake. The AAQ-13 navigation pod is on the left, the AAQ-14 targeting pod is on the right. The navigation pod has terrain-following radar and FLIR, whereas the targeting pod has FLIR and a laser designator. The LANTIRN must interface with the flight controls, since the pod flies the airplane while in terrain-following mode.

The F-16C/D Block 40/42 aircraft were initially fitted with only the navigation pod, since the targeting pod was delayed by technical difficulties.

Provisions for the Texas Instruments (now part of Raytheon) AGM-88 HARM II were added in 1989. The precision weapons incorporated by the Block 40/42 include the GBU-10, GBU-12, GBU-24 Paveway family of laser-guided bombs as well as the GBU-15 glide bomb. Some foreign versions of the aircraft can carry the AIM-7 Sparrow missile.

Sure Strike

In 1995, 38 F-16C/D Block 40 aircraft of USAFE's 31st Fighter Wing based at Aviano AB, Italy, were equipped with Sure Strike. This package consists of Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and an Improved Data Modem (IDM), giving the aircraft quick reaction capability for CAS missions over Bosnia.

The IDM (now standard on the Block 50/52 and MLU aircraft) allows the aircraft to receive latitude, longitude and elevation of a target direct from a FAC (Forward Air Controller) on the ground. The system then inputs the data into the weapon system computer and displays it as a waypoint on the HUD.

Made up entirely from off-the shelf components, it took just 13 weeks to field Sure Strike. The success of the program led to the USAF ordering that Sure Strike software is to be included in conjunction with a rapid release software update recently requested by USAF to improve the weapon-to-aircraft interface of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). This action ensures that Sure Strike capability will be included in the major software upgrade (Block 40 tape five) for the close air support update planned in June 1998.

Gold Strike

In July 1997, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract to upgrade the Sure Strike system under a project called Gold Strike. Gold Strike basically adds two-way imagery transmission to Sure Strike, enabling the pilot to receive and transmit video images in the cockpit.

Software changes will be made within the core avionics computers to display the video images on the F-16's Multi-Function Display (MFD) and to transmit images from the LANTIRN targeting pod. Upon successful completion of the demonstration, the USAF has the option to incorporate this capability in the Sure Strike-modified Block 40 F-16s at Aviano Air Base in Italy.

"Taking the Fight North" is not a "Sunshine" Policy
(8FW Photo) (Click to Enlarge)

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: Origin of F-16. Joe Baugher's sites are the most comprehensive and authoritative sites on American aircraft. Please go to the Baugher site for the full list of aircraft or Joe Baugher's homepage. For a full list of F-16 subjects and models/blocks go to F-16 Main Index of Subjects.

Origin of General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

Last revised April 1, 2000

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is one of most significant fighters of the latter part of the 20th century. It was originally developed from a concept for an experimental lightweight fighter and has evolved into an all-weather fighter and precision attack aircraft. The F-16 has been manufactured on as many as five separate production lines, making it the largest fighter program in the Western world. Over 4000 F-16s have been built, with production still continuing.

As early as 1965, the USAF had begun concept formulation studies of new high-performance fighters. These included the F-X, a heavy interceptor/air-superiority fighter, and the lightweight Advanced Day Fighter (ADF). The F-X was to be in the 40,000-pound class and was to be equipped with advanced, sophisticated radars and armed with long-range, radar-guided air-to-air missiles. The ADF was to be in the 25,000-pound class and was to have a thrust-to-weight ratio and a wing loading that would better the performance of the MiG-21 by at least 25 percent. The general concept behind the ADF was much the same as the reasoning which had led after the Korean War to the Lockheed F-104A Starfighter.

The appearance of the Mach 2.8-capable MiG-25 Foxbat in 1967 frightened Defense Department analysts and prompted a redirection in USAF fighter plans, with high performance once again becoming the primary concern. The F-X concept was eventually to emerge as the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, a twin-engined fighter with advanced avionics and long-range missiles. The ADF was temporarily shelved.

The ADF concept was kept alive by former fighter instructor Major John Boyd and Pierre Sprey, a civilian working in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Analysis. They both disliked the F-X concept as it then existed, and preferred a much simpler design. In the late 1960s, they came up with a 25,000 pound design designated F-XX, which was to be a dedicated air superiority fighter with a high endurance, minimal electronics, and no long-range missiles. Later studies brought this weight down to 17,000 pounds. The concept met with much opposition within the Air Force hierarchy, since some considered it a threat to the existing F-X project. However, the Pentagon decided to continue the project at a low level just in case the F-X (i.e. F-15) program got delayed or encountered serious developmental difficulties.

In 1969, a Pentagon memorandum suggested that both the Air Force and the Navy adopt the F-XX as a substitute for the F-15 and F-14 respectively, since both these planes were becoming increasingly expensive. Both services vigorously resisted these moves, and both the F-14 and F-15 surged ahead.

Deputy Defense Secretary David A. Packard (who came in with the new Nixon Administration in 1969) was a strong advocate of returning to the concept of competitive prototyping as a way of containing the ever-increasing costs of new weapons systems. During the 1960s, under Secretary of Defense Robert MacNamara, the Total Procurement Package philosophy had been adopted, in which an aircraft was committed to production even before the first example had flown and without any competitive flyoff against rival designs. This had led to such controversial aircraft as the Lockheed C-5A Galaxy and General Dynamics F-111, which had both encountered expensive and time-consuming developmental problems and extensive cost overruns. Under the new competitive prototyping philosophy, Air Force Secretary Robert C. Seamans drew up a set of ground rules in which the initial funding of a new weapons project would be relatively limited, with the initial performance goals and military specifications being kept to a minimum. By 1971, Boyd was working for the Air Force Prototype Study Group. He was able to push the concept at a time when the idea of competitive flyoffs was coming back into fashion.

A Light Weight Fighter (LWF) program came into being under Packard's watch. A Request For Proposals (RFP) was issued to the industry on January 16, 1971. The RFP called for a high thrust-to-weight ratio, a gross weight of less than 20,000 pounds, and high maneuverability. No attempt would be made to equal the performance of the MiG-25 Foxbat, the emphasis being placed instead on the most-likely conditions of future air combat--altitudes of 30,000-40,000 feet and speeds of Mach 0.6 to Mach 1.6. Emphasis was to be on turn rate, acceleration, and range rather than on high speed. A small size was stressed, since the small size of MiG-17 and MiG-21 had made them difficult to detect visually during combat over North Vietnam. The RFP specified three main objectives. The aircraft should fully explore the advantages of emerging technologies, reduce the risk and uncertainties involved in full-scale development and production, and provide a variety of technological options to meet future military hardware needs.

In the meantime, with the selection of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle as winner of the F-X contract, General Dynamics engineers had been concentrating on studies of a LWF for daytime dogfighting, with only minimal air-to-air electronics being provided. These studies had all been performed under the company designation of Model 401.

Five manufacturers submitted proposals in response to the RFP--Boeing, Northrop, General Dynamics, Ling-Temco-Vought, and Lockheed. In March of 1972, the Air Staff concluded that the competing Boeing Model 908-909 was the first choice, with the General Dynamics Model 401 and the Northrop Model P-600 being rated as close seconds. The Vought V-1100 and Lockheed CL-1200 Lancer had been eliminated.

The Source Selection Authority, after further work, rated the General Dynamics and Northrop proposals ahead of the Boeing submission. The General Dynamics Model 401-16B and the Northrop P-600 were chosen for further development on April 13, 1972. Contracts for the two designs were awarded under the designation YF-16 and YF-17 respectively. Rather than the "X" (experimental) prefix being used, the "Y" (development) prefix was used in order to indicate that a mixture of off-the-shelf and experimental technologies were being used.

Two examples of each design were ordered by the USAF, and a flyoff of the two designs would be carried out against each other, although there was no assurance that any production of the winning candidate would actually be carried out. At the time, the Air Force was still very much committed to the F-15 fighter, and visualized the LWF program as more of a technology-demonstration project rather than a serious effort for a production aircraft. The "cost plus fixed fee" contracts covered the design, construction, and testing of two prototypes, plus a year of flight testing.

The YF-16 was designed and built at Fort Worth under the direction of William C. Dietz and Lyman C. Josephs, with Harry Hillaker as chief designer. The General Dynamics Model 401 had studied in models, mockups, and wind tunnel testing dozens of different configurations before the final configuration was chosen. No attempt was made to push individual technological advances to their limits, with proven systems and components being used in those areas where the development of new technology was not required. Components and detail assemblies were designed for ease of manufacture, using low-cost conventional materials where possible. In order to keep costs down, many of the components were designed to have commonality with existing or projected aircraft. However, new technology was to be used in those situations where it would have the greatest effect in meeting performance goals.

General Dynamics decided to use a single Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan for their proposal rather than a pair of low-bypass GE YJ101s, which were used by the competing Northrop design. The F100 was also the powerplant of the F-X (F-15) design, but Pratt & Whitney had to do some special design work to adapt it to a single-engined aircraft A single F100 was estimated to provide a substantially lower fuel demand than a pair of YJ101s, and studies revealed no significant attrition advantage for a twin-engine arrangement. The single-engined format made it possible to achieve a mission weight of 17,050 pounds, whereas a format powered by twin General Electric YJ101 engines would have had a mission weight of 21,470 pounds.

During the early design development of the F-16, General Dynamics had considered both single and twin vertical tails. Wind tunnel tests had showed that vortices produced by the forebody strake generally improved directional stability, but that certain strake shapes actually reduced stability at high angles of attack when twin tails were used. It was concluded that a twin-tail format would result in significantly greater development risks and that a single vertical tail would give satisfactory results provided that it was sufficiently tall.

The General Dynamics team also studied several different air intake configurations before settling on the final air intake located underneath the nose. The ventral location for the intake was chosen to minimize the sensitivity of airflow into the engine to high angles of attack. At a 20-degree AoA, the local flow direction to a ventral intake was only ten degrees below datum, as compared to 35 degrees in the case of side-mounted inlets. The design team had actually started with a chin-mounted Crusader-type intake, but it was gradually pushed further and further back to save weight until the process finally had to be halted to keep the intake ahead of the nosewheel. There are some disadvantages to such an air intake location--the mounting of the inlet underneath the fuselage is potentially dangerous to ground personnel and appears at first sight to invite foreign object damage (FOD) to the engine by the ingestion of stones and other runway debris into the intake. However, it avoids the gun gas ingestion problem, and since the nosewheel is further back, it avoids nosewheel-induced FOD. In order to save weight and complexity, the geometry of the intake was fixed, which limits the maximum speed of the F-16 to below Mach 2.

Four different wing planforms--straight, swept, variable, and delta--were reviewed. The variable-geometry wing was rejected because of its high weight and complexity. The delta wing had the advantage of low weight per unit of area and low wave drag, but was ultimately rejected because of its high drag-at-lift and trim drag penalties. A low-sweep, straight wing was finally chosen because it was thought to offer the best combination of good maneuverability, high acceleration, and maximum lift to ensure good altitude performance. The team chose a computer-controlled variable camber wing with leading-edge maneuvering flaps and trailing-edge flaperons which could match the camber of the wing to flight conditions, thus maximizing wing efficiency. The wing and main fuselage body were smoothly blended into each other in three dimensions, making it impossible to define where the wing ends and the fuselage begins. The blended wing-body, or lifting body effect is achieved by having a smooth fairing of the wing and fuselage rather than the conventional sharp intersection, providing improved lift at high angles of attack. The wing was fitted with smoothly-blended leading edge strakes. These strakes create vortices at high angles of attack which maintain the energy of the boundary layer air flowing over the inner section of the wing, delaying the stalling of the wing root and maintaining the directional stability. Since the wing was far too thin to accommodate landing gear members, the main undercarriage was fuselage-mounted, with the wheels retracting into under-fuselage wells. The wing is made predominantly of aluminum, with small amounts of steel, titanium and composite materials.

A "relaxed" static stability/fly-by-wire (RSS/FBW) control system was provided. A number of elements were added to aid the pilot in up to 9g combat. These included a side-stick console layout, an ejector seat tilted backwards by 30 degrees, and an all-round vision bubble canopy.

Although the LWF requirement specified only minimal electronics, the design team recognized that an operational aircraft would probably require a heavier and more bulky avionics package. The decision was made to size the aircraft to carry heat-seeking Sidewinder missiles plus an M61 cannon, but to make provisions to allow Sparrow radar-homing missiles to be carried at a later date should this be required.

The original specification had called for a load factor of 7.33 g while carrying 80 percent internal fuel. General Dynamics engineers decided to increase this figure to 9g at full internal fuel and to increase the service life of the airframe from 4000 hours to 8000 hours.

Recognizing that the YF-16 pilot would use externally-carried fuel on the outbound trip to the combat zone and then return on the internal fuel, the design team allocated internal fuel volume accordingly, reducing the airframe size and shaving 1470 pounds off the empty weight and reducing the loaded weight by 3300 pounds. By doing this, the turning rate could be increased by ten percent and acceleration by 30 percent.

Costs were reduced by using interchangeable left- and right-handed tailplanes and flaperons. Most of the undercarriage structure was also common to either side. Avionics were simple and armament consisted of one 20-mm M61A1 rotary cannon and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the wingtips, plus stores on two external hardpoints underneath each wing.

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: Structure of F-16.

Structure of F-16 Fighting Falcon

Last revised March 19, 2000

80 percent of the airframe structure of the F-16 is of conventional aluminum alloy, and about 60 percent of the structural parts are made from sheet metal. An attempt was made to minimize the amount of exotic material used in the construction of the F-16 in the interest of saving cost. About 8 percent is steel, composites are 3 percent and titanium is 1.5 percent.

The F-16 is built in 3 major subsections, nose, center and aft. In order to save money, the fuselage structure is fairly conventional in overall configuration, being based on conventional frames and longerons. The forward manufacturing breakpoint is just aft of the cockpit, while the second is forward of the vertical fin.

The wing planform of the F-16 is effectively that of a cropped delta with a 40-degree leading edge sweep. The wing has 4 percent thickness/chord ratio, and the aerofoil section is 64A204. The wing structure incorporates five spars and 11 ribs. Upper and lower wing skins are one-piece machined components. From left to right, the wing gradually blends with the fuselage, making it impossible to tell where the wing begins and the fuselage ends. This wing/body blending made it possible to increase the internal volume, enabling more fuel could be carried. In fact, 31 percent of the loaded weight of an F-16 is fuel, accounting for the long range of the Fighting Falcon. Gradually increasing the thickness of the wing in the region of the root resulted in a stiffer wing than would have been possible with a conventional design. In forward-to-aft planform, the wing leading edge blends smoothly with the fuselage by means of leading edge strakes. At high angles of attack, these strakes create vortices which maintain the energy of the boundary air layer flowing over the inner section of the wing. This delays wing root stalling and maintains directional stability at low speeds and high angles of attack. Vortex energy also provides a measure of forebody lift, reducing the need for drag-inducing tail trim. By keeping the inner-wing boundary layer energized, the strakes allowed the wing area to be kept smaller, saving about 500 pounds in weight.


General Dynamics Production Line
(General Dynamics Photo)

The wing trailing edges have a set of inboard "flaperons", which are combine the duties of flaps and ailerons. The flaperons operate as conventional ailerons for controlling the aircraft during conventional flight. During takeoffs and landings, they can be drooped by as much as 20 degrees, operating as flaps. The outboard trailing edge wing surfaces are fixed.

Wind tunnel tests demonstrated the need for leading edge flaps to improve lift and directional stability at high angles of attack. Leading edge maneuvering flaps and trailing edge flaperon can be moved at up to 35 degrees per second to shape the wing aerofoil to match aerodynamic conditions. The moving flaps reduce the drag, maintain lift at high angles of attack, improve directional stability and minimize buffeting. The use of lift-increasing maneuvering flaps allowed a smaller wing of reduced span to be used.

The wing is only 1.5 inches deep at the point where the leading edge flap actuator is installed, so the design of this component was a significant challenge. In the spring of 1982, actuator failures caused the USAF to ground all F-16s that had exceed 200 hours flight time for an inspection of the wing leading edge flap. A routine inspection had turned up excessive wear in the actuation mechanism which controls the position of the leading-edge maneuvering flap. More than 40 aircraft required repair.

During the early development of the F-16, both single- and twin-vertical tail formats had been studied. Wind tunnel tests showed that vortices produced by the forebody strake or LEX generally improved directional stability but that certain strake shapes actually reduced stability at high angles of attack when twin tails were fitted. Consequently, it was felt that the use of the twin-tail format involved significantly greater development risks, and a single vertical tail was adopted. The disadvantage is that the single vertical tail now has to be sufficiently tall.

The single vertical stabilizer has a multi-spar and multi-rib structure made from aluminum, but the skins are made of graphite epoxy. The two ventral fins underneath the fuselage are made of glass fibre. There is a runway arrester hook underneath the rear fuselage.

F-16C Test Flight
(General Dynamics Photo)

Aft of the wing, the fuselage blends smoothly in cross-section into a side-body fairing that extends all the way to the rear of the aircraft. The all-flying horizontal tailplane is attached to the rear of this side body fairing. The air brakes are mounted inboard of each horizontal stabilizer at the end of the side body fairing, one set on each side of the rear fuselage. The air brakes are of the split type, the upper and lower sections opening through a maximum angle of 60 degrees.

The wings are far too thin to accommodate the main undercarriage units, so they are attached to the main fuselage and retract forward into wells in the lower fuselage. The nose gear is located just aft of the intake, so that debris thrown up by the nosewheel will not be ingested into the intake. The steerable nose landing gear retracts aft and rotates through 90 degrees to lie flat underneath the intake duct.

The air intake is located underneath the fuselage, at a point just below the cockpit. The ventral location of the air intake subjects it to minimal airflow disturbance over a wide range of flight conditions and aircraft maneuvers, since the forward fuselage tends to shield the intake from the full effects of aircraft maneuvers, minimizing the effects of sudden changes in the angle of attack on airflow into the engine. At an angle of attack of 25 degrees, for example, the air flows into the intake at an angle of only ten degrees with respect to the aircraft's longitudinal axis. The lower edge of the intake lip is only 38 inches above the ground, but, surprisingly, FOD problems caused by the ingestion of runway debris into the engine have been relatively minor.

The intake is of fixed geometry type, which saves on complexity, weight, and cost. A fixed-geometry boundary-layer splitter plate separates the upper lip of the intake from the lower fuselage. There is a separation strut mounted inside the intake for additional tunnel rigidity.

F-16 being prepped for transfer to Wolfpack at Moody Aircraft already painted with Wolfpack "WP". With the inactivation of the 69th Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, GA, resulting from the 347th redesignation to a Rescue Wing, the 8th FW was scheduled to receive some of the inactivated unit's F-16C/D aircraft.

In the interest of saving in cost, a number of parts are interchangeable between port and starboard. These include the horizontal tail surfaces, wing flaperons, 80 percent of the main landing gear components, and many of the actuator units.

The pilot's view from the cockpit of the F-16 is superlative, and is unmatched by just about any other fighter aircraft. The pilot sits underneath a clamshell-type canopy whose forward and center sections are made of a single piece of polycarbonate. The windshield arch normally fitted to the cockpit canopies of most jet fighters is absent on the F-16, offering the pilot an excellent forward view. Visibility covers a full 360 degrees in the horizontal and from 15 degrees down over the nose through the vertical and back to directly behind. The sideways view extends down to a depression angle of 40 degrees. The optical quality is high, and the curved surfaces offer minimal optical distortion.

The transparent part of the canopy is 0.5-inches thick, and was designed to resist the impact of a 4-pound bird at 350 knots. However, even if the canopy happens to fail under the impact of an especially large bird, the heads-up display is sufficiently robust to provide additional back-up protection for the pilot.

The elimination of the normal windshield arch improves the forward view, but this means that the entire transparency has to be as thick as the front portion, which is designed to survive birdstrikes. This imposes a substantial weight penalty. Another disadvantage is that the canopy must be jettisoned before the pilot can escape, since the polycarbonate transparency is too thick for him or her to eject through it.

The inside of the canopy is covered with a thin gold film which dissipates radar energy to reduce the radar cross section, especially from the front. A redundant safety lock ensures that the canopy cannot be inadvertently opened. The canopy is normally operated by electrical motors, but there is a manual crank as a backup.

The pilot sits on a McDonnell Douglas ACES II (Advanced Concept Ejection Seat) rocket-powered ejection seat equipped with a vectored-thrust pitch control system. It is capable of zero-zero performance, and is cleared for use up to a height of 50,000 feet and a speed of 600 knots. The seat is tilted backwards at an angle of 30 degrees, and the pilot's knees and legs are raised in order to provide some extra physiological tolerance to high-g maneuvers. However, it is debatable whether a 30-degree seat inclination really does increase the g-tolerance of the pilot. It certainly does make it more difficult for the pilot to turn his/her head to check the six.

The conventional joystick control column is replaced by a sidestick controller located on a cockpit console at the pilot's right hand. Left-handed pilots, however, appear to be able to use the sidestick without difficulty. The sidestick fitted to the first YF-16s did not move at all, operating strictly on the amount of force applied by the pilot to determine the desired pitch or roll rate. On production aircraft, it was found suitable to introduce some artificial "feel" into the system, and the sidestick now moves up to 3/16 of an inch aft, 3/32 of an inch left and right, and less than a hundredth of an inch forward (since pilots under negative g tend to give more forward stick than needed).

F-16C Armament Demo Flight
(General Dynamics Photo)
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Under the Multinational Staged Improvement Plan (MSIP) approved in February 1981, a series of improvements were developed for the F-16. Among these were modifications of the structure and wiring of the wings to carry the AMRAAM, the provision of hardpoints on the intake sides to carry the LANTIRN electro-optical system.

A new horizontal tailplane of increased area was introduced under Engineering Change Proposal 426. It provides greater control forces needed to cope with heavier munitions loads. The revised tail was easier and less expensive to produce.

The vertical fin can be modified to allow the fitting of a braking parachute if the customer so desires. Norwegian F-16s were all fitted with this feature, since Norway has many short airfields which are often covered with ice and snow, making the use of wheel brakes impractical.

The F-16A/B employed an all-electronic fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system instead of the traditional hydromechanical systems with linkages and cables. The system is a four-channel analog system, the F-16A/B having been designed too early to accommodate the quadruplexed digital system that was provided on the Space Shuttle and on the F/A-18 Hornet. The FBW system makes it possible for the F-16 to fly safely with its center of gravity behind the center of pressure, thus providing the aircraft with an inherent instability that makes it highly responsive to the controls and to use relatively modest amounts of tail deflection during high-g maneuvers. The use of relaxed stability enabled a smaller tail to be used, since less force was needed to alter aircraft attitude. The General Dynamics team was the first to take the bold step of eliminating mechanical backups to the FBW system, trusting the aircraft completely to electronics.

Experience with a triplex digital system on the AFTI/F-16 gave GD the confidence to abandon the proven analog FBW system of the earlier Fighting Falcon and adopt the quadruplex digital FBW system for the Block 25 and beyond F-16C/D.

An inflight refuelling socket is mounted on the top of the fuselage just ahead of the fin leading edge. It is normally covered by an inward-hinged door when not in use. The receptacle can accommodate the rigid boom used by USAF aerial tankers, or it can have a probe fixed into it for use with drogues.

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: Engine of F-16.

Engines for the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

Last revised March 19, 2000

The development of the Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan began in August of 1968 when the USAF awarded contracts to both P & W and General Electric for the development of engines to be used in the projected F-X fighter, which was later to emerge as the F-15 Eagle.

In 1970, Pratt and Whitney was declared the winner of the competition and was awarded the contract for the engine for the F-15. The engine was to be designated F100. Two versions of the engine were planned, the F100 for the USAF and the F401 for the Navy. The latter engine was intended for later models of the F-14 Tomcat, but was cancelled when the size of the planned Tomcat fleet was cut back in an economy move.

The F100 is an axial-flow turbofan with a bypass ratio of 0.7:1. There are two shafts, one shaft carrying a three-stage fan driven by a two-stage turbine, the other shaft carrying the 10-stage main compressor and its two-stage turbine. For the F100-PW-200 version, normal dry thrust is 12,420 pounds, rising to a maximum thrust of 14,670 pounds at full military power. Maximum afterburning thrust is 23,830 pounds.

The F100 engine was first tried in service with the F-15 Eagle. The Air Force had hoped that the F100 engine would be a mature and reliable powerplant by the time that the F-16 was ready to enter service. However, there were a protracted series of teething troubles with the F100 powerplants of the F-15, compounded by labor problems at two of the major subcontractors. Initially, the Air Force had grossly underestimated the number of engine powercycles per sortie, since they had not realized how much the F-15 Eagle's maneuvering capabilities would result in abrupt changes in throttle setting. This caused unexpectedly high wear and tear on the engine, resulting in frequent failures of key engine components such as first-stage turbine blades. Most of these problems could be corrected by more careful maintenance and closer attention to quality control during manufacturing of engine components. Nevertheless, by the end of 1979, the Air Force was being forced to accept engineless F-15 airframes until the problems could be cleared up.

However, the most serious problem with the F100 in the F-15 was with stagnation stalling. Since the compressor blades of a jet engine are airfoil sections, they can stall if the angle at which the airflow strikes them exceeds a critical value, cutting off airflow into the combustion chamber which results in a sudden loss of thrust. Such an event is called a stagnation stall. Stagnation stalls most often occurred during high angle-of-attack maneuvers, and they usually resulted in abrupt interruptions of the flow of air through the compressor. This caused the engine core to lose speed, and the turbine to overheat. If this condition was not quickly corrected, damage to the turbine could take place or a fire could occur.

F-16 engine having AB blowout in hush house. (1984) (Courtesy Matt McNew) Click on photo to enlarge

Matt McNew and Vern Dickamore in the jet engine shop. (1984) (Courtesy Matt McNew) Click on photo to enlarge

Some stagnation stalls were caused by "hard" afterburner starts, which were mini-explosions that took place inside the afterburner when it was lit up. These could be caused either by the afterburner failing to light up when commanded to do so by the pilot or by the afterburner actually going out. In either case, large amounts of unburnt fuel got sprayed into the aft end of the jetpipe, which were explosively ignited by the hot gases coming from the engine core. The pressure wave from the explosion then propagated forward through the duct to the fan, causing the fan to stall and sometimes even causing the forward compressor stage to stall as well. These types of stagnation stalls usually occurred at high altitudes and at high Mach numbers.

Normal recovery technique from stagnation stalls was for the pilot to shut the engine down and allow it to spool down. A restart attempt could be made as soon as the turbine temperature dropped to an acceptable level.

When it first flew, the YF-16 seemed to be almost free of the stagnation stall problems which had bedeviled the F-15. However, while flying with an early model of the F100 engine, one of the YF-16s did experience a stagnation stall, although it occurred outside the normal performance envelope of the aircraft. Three other incidents later occurred, all of them at high angles of attack during low speed flights at high altitude. The first such incident in a production F-16 occurred with a Belgian aircraft flying near the limits of its performance envelope. Fortunately, the pilot was able to get his engine restarted and land safely. The F-16 was fitted with a jet-fuel starter, and from a height of 35,000 feet the pilot would have enough time to attempt at least three unassisted starts using ram air.

When the F100 engine control system was originally designed, Pratt & Whitney engineers had allowed for the possibility that the ingestion of missile exhaust might stall the engine. A "rocket-fire" facility was designed into the controls to prevent this from happening. When missiles were fired, an electronic signal was sent to the unified fuel control system which supplied fuel to the engine core and to the afterburner. This signal commanded the angle of the variable stator blades in the engine to be altered to avoid a stall, while the fuel flow to the engine was momentarily reduced and the afterburner exhaust was increased in area to reduce the magnitude of any pressure pulse in the afterburner. Tests had shown that this "rocket-fire" facility was not needed for its primary purpose of preventing missile exhaust stalls, but it turned out to be handy in preventing stagnation stalls. Engine shaft speed, turbine temperature, and the angle of the compressor stator blades are continuously monitored by a digital electronic engine control unit which fine-tunes the engine throughout flight to ensure optimal performance. By monitoring and comparing spool speeds and fan exhaust temperature, the unit is able to sense that a stagnation stall is about to occur and send a dummy "rocket-fire" signal to the fuel control system to initiate the anti-stall measures described above. At the same time, the fuel control system reduces the afterburner setting to help reduce the pressure within the jetpipe.

The afterburner-induced stalls were addressed by a different mechanism. In an attempt to prevent pulses from coming forward through the fan duct, a "proximate splitter" was developed. This is a forward extension of the internal casing which splits the incoming air from the compressor fan and passes some of this air into the core and diverts the rest down the fan duct and into the afterburner. By closing the gap between the front end of this casing and the rear of the fan to just under half an inch, the designers reduced the size of the path by which high-pressure pulses from the burner had been reaching the core. Engines fitted with the proximate splitter were tested in the F-15, but this feature was not introduced on the F-15 production line, since the loss of a single engine was less hazardous in a twin-engined aircraft like the Eagle. However, this feature was adopted for the single-engined F-16.

These engine fixes produced a dramatic improvement in reliability. Engines fitted to the F-16 fleet (and incorporating the proximate splitter) had only 0.15 stagnation stalls per 1000 hours of flying time, much better than the F-15 fleet.

F-16 on trimpad. (1984) (Courtesy Matt McNew) Click on photo to enlarge

Wolfpack F-16 recovery at Pusan. (1984) (Courtesy Matt McNew) Click on photo to enlarge

In recent years, the USAF became interested in acquiring an alternative engine for the F-16, partly in a desire to set up a competitive process between rival manufacturers in an attempt to keep costs down, as well as to develop a second source of engines in case one of the suppliers ran into problems. In search of a source for an alternate engine for the F-16 and for the Navy's F-14 Tomcat, in 1984 the Department of Defense awarded General Electric a contract to build a small number of F101 Derivative Fighter Engines (DFE) for flight test. The DFE was based on the F101 used in the B-1 but incorporated components derived from the F404 engine used in the F/A-18. The Navy decided to adopt the DFE as a replacement for the Tomcat's TF30 turbofan, but the USAF announced that they were going to split future engine purchases between Pratt & Whitney and General Electric. GE was given a contract for full-scale development of its new engine, which was to be designated F110.

The General Electric F110 is similar in size to the Pratt & Whitney F100. The F110 has a three-stage fan leading to a nine-stage compressor, the first three stages of which are variable. The bypass ratio is 0.87 to 1. The annular combustion chamber is designed for smokeless operation, and has 20 dual-cone fuel injectors and swirling-cup vaporizers. The single-stage HP turbine is designed to cope with inlet temperatures as high as 2500 degrees F (1370 C). Blades are individually replaceable without rotor disassembly. An uncooled two-stage LP turbine leads to a fully-modulated afterburner. When afterburning is demanded, fuel is injected into both the fan and core flows, which mix prior to combustion.

All F110s ordered by the USAF were for the F-16 fleet, with the F-15 retaining the F100. The choice of engines for the Fighting Falcon began with the Fiscal Year 1985 Block 30 F-16C/Ds. About 75 percent of the F-16s purchased from that time on by the USAF were powered by the GE engine, with the remainder being powered by the P & W engine. However, it is not intended that individual units operate with F-16s powered by two different engine types, since that would create a spare parts and logistics nightmare. The choice of engines for the F-16 is made at the Wing level.

In an attempt to address some of the reliability problems of its engine, Pratt & Whitney developed the -220 model of its F100 turbofan. It has the same thrust as the -200, but is much more reliable, having improvements which radically lowered the number of. unscheduled engine shutdowns. Many older -200 engines were rebuilt to the -220E standard, becoming directly interchangeable with new-build -220 engines.

In an attempt to make the F100 more competitive with the General Electric F110, Pratt & Whitney introduced the more powerful F100-PW-229 version in the early 1990s. This engine is rated at 29,100 pounds of thrust with full afterburner. It has a higher fan airflow and pressure ratio, a higher-airflow compressor with an extra stage, a new float-wall combustor, higher turbine temperatures, and a redesigned afterburner. It has about 22 percent more thrust than previous F100 models. The first F-16s powered by the -229 engines began to be delivered in 1992. However, the degree of mechanical changes introduced in the -229 make it impractical to rebuild -200 or -220E engines to -229 standards.

On the export market, the higher thrust of the F110 made it the engine of choice through the mid to late 1980s. The more powerful F100-PW-229 finally gave P&W the chance of re-entering the export market. In 1991, South Korea chose the F100-PW-229 for its license-built F-16s, maintaining engine commonality with F-16Cs and Ds that were purchased earlier from the USA.

The F100-PW-200+ is intended for foreign air forces which operate significant numbers of F-16s that are powered by -200 and -220E engines, but which are denied access to the more powerful -229. It combines the core of the -220 with the fan, nozzle, and digital control system of the -229. It develops around 27,000 pounds of thrust with afterburning.

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: Electronics of F-16.

Electronics of F-16 Fighting Falcon

Last revised March 19, 2000

The primary target detection sensor of the F-16A/B is the Westinghouse AN/APG-66 pulsed-Doppler radar. Pulse-Dopper radars operate by measuring the frequency shift that is created by target velocity in order to discriminate between a genuine aircraft and ground clutter. The APG-66 has a medium pulse repetition frequency or PRF for short (typically 10 to 15 kHz). It operates in the I/J band and has a flat-plate planar array antenna. Sixteen operating frequencies are available within the I/J band, and the pilot can select between any four of them.

The APG-66 reduces the radar data to digital form and presents the pilot with a synthetically-generated image made up of a set of predefined symbols. The display is free from clutter and is much easier to read than previous displays, but the ability to discriminate between real and false targets depends entirely on the quality of the software used to control the signal processing equipment.

Radar operating modes may be selected by the pilot by using either the throttle, the sidestick controller, or knobs on the radar control panel. The primary air-to-air search mode is Downlook, which provides clutter-free indication of low- flying targets. Fighter-sized aircraft can be detected at ranges of up to 35 miles. In the Uplook mode, there is no need for the filtering out of spurious responses from the ground, and the pilot can detect targets at ranges of up to 50 miles.

Cockpit (Simulator)

Four modes are available for air-to-air combat. In the Dogfight mode, the radar automatically scans a 20-degree by 20-degree field in the forward direction. If the pilot can see the the target in his HUD, and the range is less than ten miles, the radar will automatically lock on. If high-g maneuvers are to be carried out, the area to be searched can be altered to a 40-degree by 10-degree pattern. If multiple targets are present, the pilot can press the Designate button on his sidestick controller. The radar will then operate in a slim narrow-beam mode, and by maneuvering his aircraft, the pilot can place the beam onto the required target. When he releases the designate button, the radar will acquire and track the chosen target. A Slewable air-combat mode can be used to allow the scan pattern to be moved in anticipation of target maneuvers.

Seven different modes are available for air-to-surface attacks. The first of these is Air-to-Ground Ranging, which is automatically selected during continuously-computed impact point (CCIP) and dive-toss attacks. CCIP attacks use a ground mapping mode, which gives a plan position indicator display at 10, 20, 40, or 80 nm range, and scan widths of plus or minus 10, 30 , or 60 degrees. There are dedicated sea-surface search modes, which are designed to eliminate the clutter caused by spurious reflections from ocean waves. There is a Beacon mode which can be used in conjunction with ground-located radar beacons to take navigational fixes or to carry out offset weapons delivery. In the air-to-air role, this mode is used by the radar to locate flight refuelling tankers by interrogating their beacons. There is a Freeze mode in which the radar carries out a quick scan, and the image is held on the display while the radar transmitter is shut off. A moving symbol on the display continues to simulate aircraft motion. There is a special Doppler beam sharpened mode which is capable of achieving a higher definition of ground features. This mode relies on the processing of Doppler shift information, and is available only at angles between 15 degrees and 60 degrees off the aircraft's velocity vector. If the aircraft should happen to bring the area being viewed to within 15 degrees of the aircraft's centerline, the radar will automatically switch to the normal ground mapping mode.

Cockpit (Actual)
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Integration of the F-16 avionics makes extensive use of the MIL-STD-1553 databus.

In 1980, Westinghouse was awarded a contract to develop a programmable signal processor and a dual mode transmitter for the APG-66. The dual-mode transmitter would use low PRFs for air-to-ground work, and medium to high PRFs for air-to-air combat. These modifications were intended to match the performance to the AMRAAM missile and to improve the air-to-ground capability.

All F-16C and D aircraft carry the improved Hughes APG-68 radar with new dual-mode traveling wave tube technology to provide low, medium, and high PRFs. A Programmable Signal Processor (PSP) is fitted which is based on VHSIC technology. The APG-68 has a longer range and can handle radar-guided missiles at BVR, including the AIM-120A AMRAAM "fire-and-forget" missile. The improved data processing capability of the APG-68 enables the set to operate in a track-while-scan mode, which makes it possible to follow multiple targets at the same time and rank them in order of priority. Higher-resolution mapping modes are also available. A raid cluster resolution mode is available with the APG-68 which allows the pilot to distinguish between the individual aircraft flying in a tight formation at long range. The set also has an ACM (air combat maneuvering) mode which allows the radar to follow hard-maneuvering targets at short ranges.

Data from the radar and navigation systems are displayed to the pilot on either a heads-up or heads-down displays. The HUD is built by Marconi Avionics (now known as GEC Avionics). Marconi was a pioneer in the development of HUD technology, and built the first HUD to enter service on a production aircraft, applied to the Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer in 1960. If the canopy happens to be shattered by the impact of a particularly large bird, the HUD is robust enough to act as a temporary windshield to protect the pilot. The field of view of the HUD of the F-16A/B is 15.5 degrees in azimuth and 9 degrees in elevation. In the LANTIRN-equipped later models of the F-16C or D, the field of view of the HUD is 30 by 20 degrees.

The basic communications installations in the F-16A and B consists of Collins ARC-186 VHF AM/FM and Magnavox ARC-164 UHF tranceivers, a Magnavox KY-58 secure voice system, and an interference blanker by Novatronics. Between 1984 and 1986, the USAF F-16 force was equipped with the JTIDS jam-resistant command, control, and communication system.

The basic radar warning system (RWR) carried by the F-16 is the Itek ALR-69. It was based on the earlier ALR-46. It has five general purpose surveillance receivers plus a sixth frequency-selective receiver. The USAF has been reluctant to export the ALR-69 to foreign air forces. The ALR-74 is scheduled to replace the ALR-69. The F-16C/D Block 50/52 carries the Loral ALR-56M radar warning receiver.

The F-16 can carry the ALQ-119 or the more modern Westinghouse ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pod on the fuselage centerline point. The Westinghouse ALQ-131 is a 573-pound modular pod-mounted system capable of coping with a wide range of threats. By selecting individual modules for inclusion in the pod, the user can configure the pod to handle threats spread over one to five frequency bands. Modules are available to cope with all frequencies used by current anti-aircraft missile systems, and both noise and deception-jamming modes are available. The pod has its own digital computer which can be reprogrammed on the flightline before takeoff to match the threat to be encountered on the mission.

SSgt Rhett Engstrum with Aim9 Combat Sling (Oct 99) (Air Force Photo)

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: Armament for F-16.

Armament of General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

Last revised March 19, 2000

There are two primary components to the defensive armament of the USAF's F-15A/B--the AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared-homing missile and an internal 20-mm cannon. The F-16C/D has the additional capability of being able to carry and launch the AIM-120 AMRAAM beyond-visible-range air-to-air missile. In addition, the F-16 has the ability to carry a wide variety of external stores on the centerline and six underwing pylons.

AMRAAM:

The APG-66 radar fitted to the F-16A/B was not originally intended to handle BVR missiles such as the Sparrow or the AMRAAM. However, the need for a BVR capability became apparent soon after the F-16A/B entered service. The long-term solution was to be the AMRAAM missile, which was originally scheduled to enter service in the mid-1980s, but was delayed by a protracted series of developmental difficulties. Possible interim solutions were the British Aerospace Skyflash or the Raytheon AIM-7 Sparrow.

The first tests of a Sparrow-armed F-16 were made by General Dyanmics with inert rounds attached to the wingtip, to the underwing pylons, and even to a pylon being attached to the mainwheel door. The undercarriage door location was used for some test firings with the Sparrow in November of 1977, and a test launch with a BAe Skyflash was made a year later.

However, the need for interim BVR missiles for the F-16 was questioned by some analysts, who claimed that the problem of positive target identification would always inhibit the use of BVR missiles, and that their high cost would limit the amount of live-fire training that could be carried out. Consequently, plans for an interim BVR missile for the F-16 were shelved.

The ultimate BVR weapon for the F-16 turned out to be the Hughes AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile), which is carried by the F-16C/D. The AMRAAM is intended to combine the BVR performance of the Sparrow in an airframe that is not much larger than that of the AIM-9 Sidewinder.

The AMRAAM is a "fire and forget" weapon. The Sparrow AAM had a semi-active radar guidance system which required that the target be continuously illuminated throughout the entire duration of the engagement. The AMRAAM is guided to the vicinity of its target by an inertial guidance system which can be updated if necessary by a datalink from the launching aircraft. For the final run to the target, the missile switches over to its own high-PRF radar seeker and homes in on the target. Since this seeker uses its own active radar, it does not require the launch aircraft to illuminate the target or to track the target. If the target attempts to protect itself with jamming, the AMRAAM seeker can be set to operate in a medium-PRF home-on-jam mode. Although the AIM-120 handles its own terminal homing onto the target, it usually still requires radar illumination from the fighter for a portion of its initial run-in to the target.


F-16 AMRAAM (Air Force Photo)

The AMRAAM is 11.97 feet long, has a wingspan of 20.7 inches, and a diameter of 7 inches. The AMRAAM is considerably lighter than the Sparrow, weighing only about 350 pounds at launch. It carries a 48-pound high-explosive directed-fragmentation warhead. Maximum speed is about Mach 4, and the maximum range is 35-45 miles.

The AMRAAM has suffered from a protracted development process, and was not fully operational until after the Gulf War of 1991 was over. However, the few times that it has been fired in actual combat, the results with the AMRAAM have been highly effective.

Sidewinder:

Most F-16s can carry an AIM-9 Sidewinder (today AIM-9M) infrared-homing air-to-air missile on each wingtip.

The Sidewinder infrared homing missile dates back to 1956, but the missile has been continuously upgraded over the years. Early F-16As carried the AIM-9J, which was the first major post-Vietnam improvement of the Sidewinder missile. The J model had an expanded target-engagement cone which enabled it to be launched at any spot in the rear half of a target aircraft rather than merely at its exhaust. Compared with the Vietnam-era AIM-9G, it had a more powerful motor and an improved warhead. The AIM-9J introduced the Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM), which slaved the seeker head of the missile to the radar when in "dogfight" mode, which enabled the AIM-9J seeker head to be uncaged, slewed toward a specific target by the aircraft radar, and made to track that particular target only before being launched. The AIM-9H introduced some minor improvements. The AIM-9L introduced in 1979 was "all-aspect", and was no longer limited to engaging an enemy aircraft from the rear. The seeker head was more sensitive and was able to pick up heat from the friction off the leading edges of an aircraft's wing and was able to distinguish between aircraft and decoy flares. The AIM-9L also uses a higher-impulse rocket motor, a more powerful warhead, and a proximity fuse rigged to blow outward toward the target in order to ensure better probability of a kill. The AIM-9M introduced in 1982 had better capability to distinguish between aircraft and decoy flares, and has a low-smoke rocket motor which makes it far less likely to be seen by its prey. The number of vacuum tubes was reduced to two.

F-16 Drone Splash (Air Force Photo)

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is 9.4 feet long, has a wingspan of 25 inches and a diameter of 5 inches. The missile has four tail fins on the rear, with a "rolleron" at the tip of each fin. These "rollerons" are spun at high speed by the slipstream in order to provide roll stability. The missile is steered by four canard fins mounted in the forward part of the missile just behind the infrared seeker head. The Sidewinder missile has a launch weight of about 180 pounds, and a maximum effective range of about 10 miles. The blast-fragmentation warhead weighs 21 pounds. Despite the advanced age of the basic design, the all-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder still remains a potent threat, exceeded in effectiveness perhaps only by the Russian-built Molniya/Vympel R-73 (known in the West as the AA-11 *Archer*) which combines aerodynamic and thrust-vectoring control systems.

"Mitch and Mac hanging out during one of the "wars". That's an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile in the middle." (1997)(From Sean's Page on the Unofficial 35th Fighter Squadron webpage.
(Click on photo to enlarge)

Other Air-to-Air Missiles:

Some export operators of the F-16 carry their own specialized air-to-air missiles in the place of the Sidewinder/AMRAAM set carried by USAF F-16C/Ds.

Some export users are not yet cleared to receive the AIM-9L, so they operate such export-model Sidewinders as the AIM-9P3 or the newer all-aspect AIM-9P4.

Pakistani and Belgian F-16s carry Matra R.550 Magic 2 air-to-air infrared homing missiles instead of Sidewinders. The original Magic I entered service in 1975, and the improved Magic 2 entered service in late 1985. The first qualification firings of the R.550 from the F-16 began in May of 1989. The Magic 2 differs from the Magic 1 in having an all-aspect infrared seeker, which can be slaved to the launching aircraft's air-interception radar and steered onto the designated target before launch (the Magic 1's seeker carried out an autonomous search before launch). The R.550 has a launch weight of 198 pounds, a length of 109 inches, a body diameter of 6.2 inches, and a fin span of 26.3 inches. The maximum range is of the order of 10 kilometers. The missile has a 28-pound rod/fragmentation type high explosive warhead with an all-sector proximity fuse or impact-loop detonation that is better suited to head-on interceptions than was the warhead of the Magic 1.

Israel F-16s can carry the Rafael Python 3 missile on the Sidewinder wingtip rails. The Python 3 was rushed into service during the 1982 Israeli incursion into Lebanon, with pre-production rounds being tested in actual air-to-air combat against Syrian aircraft. The Python 3 is an infrared homer having a weight of about 265 pounds and is 118 inches long with a body diameter of 6.25 inches and a fin span of 33.9 inches. The conventional rod-type high-explosive warhead weighs 24 pounds. It has a maximum range of about 15 kilometers and a maximum speed of Mach 3.5. The infrared seeker of the Python 3 has a plus or minus 30-degree gimbal angle and can be operated in boresight, uncaged, or radar-slaved mode. The Python 3 is claimed by Israel to have a speed, turning radius, and range superior to that of the AIM-9L Sidewinder.

Specialized F-16A/B aircraft serving with air defense units of the Air National Guard could carry and launch the AIM-7 Sparrow missile from the middle underwing hardpoints. In addition, export F-16 customers such as Bahrain and Egypt can carry and launch Sparrow missiles. The current versions are the AIM-7M and AIM-7P. The first Sparrow versions to see large-scale service were the AIM-7E, AIM-7E2, and AIM-7F, but combat results with these missiles during the 1960s over Vietnam were disappointing. The AIM-7F version of the Sparrow introduced solid-state electronics as substitutes for the miniature vacuum tubes of the earlier versions. This miniaturization enabled the warhead to be moved forward of the wings, with the aft part of the missile being devoted almost entirely to the rocket motor. The extra space that was made available by the introduction of solid-state miniaturization made it possible to introduce a dual-thrust booster/sustainer rocket motor that enabled the effective range of the Sparrow to be essentially doubled (up to 28-30 miles) in a head-on engagement. The AIM-7L had fewer tubes and more solid state features. The AIM-7M introduced in 1982 featured a inverse-processed digital monopulse seeker which was more difficult to detect and jam and provided better look-down, shoot-down capability. The AIM-7P was fitted with improved guidance electronics including an on-board computer based on VLSIC technology. It is intended to have better capability against small targets such as cruise missiles and sea-skimming antiship missiles.

The AIM-7M is 12 feet long and has a launch weight of about 500 pounds. The missile carries a 85-pound high-explosive blast fragmentation warhead. It has two sets of delta-shaped fins--a set of fixed fins at the rear of the missile and a set of movable fins at the middle of the missile for steering. The maximum effective range is of the order of 45 kilometers (28 miles).

Cannon:

For the very closest air-to-air encounters, the F-16 carries a 20-mm M61A1 cannon installed in the port wing leading edge lip. The gun is fed by an ammunition drum containing 515 rounds located inside the central fuselage.

There were some initial problems with the M16A1 when carried by the F-16. Gun firing from the F-16 was temporarily suspended in September 1979 following two incidents in which the firing of the gun resulted in uncommanded yawing movements. It turned out that vibrations produced by the firing of the gun had affected an accelerometer in the flight control system, causing it to feed false data into the control computer. A simple modification insulated the accelerometer from vibration. All 106 F-16s delivered with the original pattern of accelerometer installation were modified.

Bombs and Ground-Attack Missiles:

The F-16 has six underwing hardpoints and one under-fuselage hardpoint for the carriage of fuel tanks or weapons. A huge variety of weapons can be carried, including air-to-surface missiles, "smart" bombs, conventional iron bombs, and even tactical nuclear weapons.

Troy Drasher loading Bombs
(USAF Photo: Airman Magazine)

One of the more important warloads carried by the F-16 is the Hughes AGM-65 Maverick, which is used to make precision attacks on point targets. The Maverick carries a 135-pound shaped-charge warhead which is effective against a large variety of targets, including tanks.

The Maverick comes in AGM-65A, B, and D versions, which use television guidance, scene magnification television guidance, and imaging infrared guidance respectively. In the AGM-65A and B, a imaging vidicon seeker is carried in the nose of the missile which can be slewed on its mounting and used to view the target area. The image seen by the seeker is displayed on a TV screen in the cockpit, and the pilot can align the target on the aiming mark, then command a lock-on. The A-version has a 5 degree of view, and the B version has a 2.5-degree field of view but can detect targets at a longer range. The TV Mavericks are not ideally suited for launch from single seat fighters because of the time needed to acquire the target and to lock the seeker onto it. In addition, the system cannot be used at night or under conditions of low visibility.

The AGM-65D infrared Maverick uses an infrared rather than a vidicon seeker, and displays an infrared image on the cockpit display. Two magnifications are provided, a wide angle for target acquisition and a narrow angle for final identification and lock-on. Once a target is identified, the protective cover is jettisoned from the cooled infrared seeker, allowing the infrared seeker to "view" the target. The seeker is steered manually onto a suitable target. The system is tricky and awkward to use in combat. During Desert Storm, pilots complained about having to keep their heads down while watching the screen, locking the seeker onto the target, and launching the missile.

The AGM-65D can also be slaved to or cued by target acquisition systems such as infrared lasers. These target designation systems can be carried by other aircraft or can be operated by soldiers on the ground. Later blocks of the F-16C/D can carry their own laser designation equipment (e.g. the Martin Marietta LANTIRN pods), so they can operate independently of other designation aircraft.

Guided weapons that can be carried by the F-16 include antiradiation missiles such as the AGM-45 Shrike, the AGM-78 Standard, and the Texas Instruments AGM-88 HARM.

Norwegian F-16s have an important anti-shipping role, and can carry and launch the locally-built Kongsberg Penguin antiship missile. Deliveries of the Penguin 3 began in 1987. The weapon was tested by the the USAF under the designation AGM-119. Midcourse guidance is by an inertial system and radio altimeter, while final aiming is by an infrared seeker.

An impressive array of bombs can be carried on the six underwing pylons. The F-16 can deliver smart, laser-guided bombs if there is another laser-equipped aircraft nearby (or a facility on the ground) which can illuminate the target to be attacked. Later LANTIRN-equipped F-16C/Ds can carry their own laser designator and can therefore deliver smart bombs without assistance.

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: F-16 with USAF.

Service of General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon with USAF

Last revised April 29, 2000

The USAF accepted its first F-16 on August 17, 1978. The first operational unit to get the F-16A/B was the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, which received its first machines on January 6, 1979. It built up to a strength of 102 F-16s by the end of 1980, and trained crews from both TAC and export customers. Hill AFB was designated as the worldwide F-16 system logistical center, with both USAF and European F-16 pilots receiving their initial training there.

In the beginning, some thought had been given to naming the F-16 Mustang II, even though the original Mustang was a North American Aviation product. The name Condor was also considered. On July 21, 1980, Deputy Defense Secretary Clements announced that the official name of the F-16 would be Fighting Falcon, which was the mascot of the USAF Academy. The prefix was considered necessary in order to avoid litigation by Dassault (which marketed an executive jet with the name Falcon), as well as to avoid confusion with the Hughes Falcon air-to-air missile. Pilots and ground crews almost never use the full name, usually referring to the F-16 simply as Falcon. The unofficial name Viper is quite often used for the F-16, as well as "Electric Jet", a reference to the fly-by-wire flight control system.

The 4th TFS of the 388th TFW achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on November 12, 1980. In March of 1981, this unit took twelve of its F-16s for a month-long deployment to Norway, marking the first deployment of the USAF F-16s overseas.

Next to get the F-16 was the 56th Tactical Training Wing based at MacDill AFB in Florida, which became the replacement training unit (RTU) for the entire F-16 fleet. They began to receive its first F-16A/B Block 1/5 aircraft on October 22, 1979.

In May of 1981, the USAF announced that completion of the 18-month Multinational Operational Test and Evaluation Program showed that the F-16 had exceeded expectations in both air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. In June of 1981, seven 388th TFW aircraft won the Royal Air Force-sponsored tactical bombing competition, winning out over RAF Jaguars and Buccaneer and USAF F-111s. They defended themselves against RAF Lightnings and Phantoms in simulated air-to-air combats, scoring 88 simulated "kills" against no losses.

In August of 1981, all USAF F-16s were grounded following a fatal crash at Hill AFB. The caused was traced to a problem with the bleed air valve on the 13th stage of the F100 engine. When the bleed air valve got stuck in the open position, bleed air was directed onto the emergency power unit, causing an electrical surge which shut down the flight control computer and caused an uncommanded pitchover.

First deliveries to the 8th TFW at Kunsan in South Korea took place in September of 1981. The 8th TFW at Kunsan had the 35th and 80th TFS re-equipped with F-16s, which replaced the F-4D Phantom. This marked the first American F-16 base overseas. This modernization program was aimed in part to compensate for US troop drawdowns that had taken place in South Korea during the Carter Administration. The first USAF F-16 unit in Europe was the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Hahn AB in Germany, with Block 15 F-16A/Bs replacing F-4E Phantoms in July of 1982.

Paul McLauren (1983) (Click on photo to enlarge)	80th Phase Dock (1983) (Click on photo to enlarge)
80th Phase Dock (1983) (Click on photo to enlarge)	80th Phase Dock (1983) (Click on photo to enlarge)

By the spring of 1982, 345 F-16s were in service with TAC units.

After a period of initial training at Zaragoza in Spain, the 50th TFW's 313rd Tactical Fighter Squadron became operational at Hahn AB in Germany in December 1982. It was followed by the 496th and 10th TFS. Three more squadrons--the 417th, 512th, and 526th from the 86th TFW at Ramstein also switched to the F-16C from the F-4E Phantom. The first F-16s deployed to Europe were Block 15, with the larger horizontal tail surfaces and inlet hardpoints for AMRAAM missiles and LANTIRN sensors.

The 401st TFW at Torrejon in Spain began to receive Block 15 F-16s in 1983. However, in 1989 the Spanish government voted to evict all US combat units from its territory, and the 401st made plans to re-establish itself at Crotone AB in Italy. The 401st deactivated in 1991 after Desert Storm and the new wing was eventually formed in 1993 as the 31st Fighter Wing.

Production of the F-16A and B for the USAF ended in the winter of 1984/85. 785 F-16A/Bs were delivered to the USAF. Production of the first (Block 25) F-16C and D began in 1984, with the first example being delivered to the USAF in July.

In October 1985, F-16 units took six of the top seven spots in Gunsmoke 85, the USAF worldwide fighter gunnery meet held at Nellis AFB in Nevada. the 419th TFW, AFRES won first place, whereas the 50th TFW took second.

The first European-based unit to operate the F-16C was the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Ramstein AB in Germany, which switched to the Block 30 F-16C/D from the F-4E Phantom in December of 1985.

F-16s gradually replaced the older F-4 Phantoms in USAF service and soon became the USAF's primary ground attack aircraft. In 1987, the 52nd TFW began to deploy Block 30 F-16C/Ds as a replacement for its F-4Es. These planes operated in cooperation with F-4G Phantoms in the *Wild Weasel* SAM suppression role. By 1989 the USAF in Europe had traded in all of its F-16A/B aircraft for the newer C/D models. Night operations using the LANTIRN system started in West Germany in late 1989.

Wild Weasel 35th FW, Misawa AB

By 1990, about 1500 F-16s had been delivered, and production switched over to the Block 40/42 version.

In the late 1980s, two squadrons of F-16s were supplied to the 51st TFW at Osan AB in Korea. The F-16 was used in the Persian Gulf war of 1991 in larger numbers than any other fighter, with 249 F-16As and Cs seeing action. Most of the F-16s sent to the Gulf were Block 40 models. Most of them were fitted with LANTIRN navigation pods. However, LANTIRN targeting pods were still in short supply and the F-15E force had the higher priority, so few were available for the F-16.

Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, 1991, with coordinated air attacks against Iraq. The F-16 played a major role in the air campaign, performing 25 percent of all sorties and attacking a wide range of targets including fixed sites, radar systems, tanks, and other vehicles. The weapons delivered by F-16s were typically a pair of Mk 84 bombs, six Mk 82 bombs, CBU-52 and CBU-58 cluster munitions, the CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition, and the AIM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile. Most of the Mavericks used in the Gulf War were the AGM-65D infrared version, which proved ideal in dry desert conditions, although a few of the older AGM-65A/B television-guided Mavericks were also used. The kill rate for the Maverick was claimed to be about 80 percent, but its high cost limited its use against high-value targets such as tanks. Early in Desert Storm, it was thought that the F-16s might encounter significant air-to-air opposition, so they carried four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, one on each wing tip and one on each of the outboard underwing stations. As the Iraqi air-to-air threat diminished, the Sidewinder load was reduced to only two, carried at the wingtips. Only 72 of the F-16s used during Desert Storm were fitted with LANTIRN pods (most of them carrying only the navigation pod), so the majority of the F-16 force was used only during daylight hours.

With the Iraqi air force having been knocked out during the first few days of the war or forced to flee to Iran, F-16s never got the chance to tangle with Iraqi fighters, and no air-to-air kills were scored by F-16s during Desert Storm. All of the Iraqi fixed-wing aircraft downed in air-to-air combat by USAF fighters were shot down by F-15C Eagles.

In March of 1982, it was announced that the USAF's Thunderbirds flight demonstration team would trade in its T-38 Talons for F-16 Fighting Falcons. Transition to the F-16 was completed in November 1982, with the first public demonstration being flown in April of 1983. In March of 1985, the team re-equipped with Block 15 F-16As, plus one F-16B which is used for media orientation flights. The space normally used for the gun on the F-16 is taken up by an oil tank which is used to make smoke during air show demonstrations. The Thunderbirds' F-16s have been modified with F100-PW-220 engines.

It was not until after Desert Storm that the F-16 was to get its first kill with the USAF. On December 27, 1992, a pair of Iraqi Air Force MiG-23 Floggers were spotted flying in violation of the no-fly zone over southern Iraq. They were intercepted by a pair of USAF F-16Ds from the 363rd TFW/33rd TFS. The Iraqi fighters were given a verbal warning, but they turned to confront the American aircraft. One of the MiGs was shot down by a single AIM-120A AMRAAM fired from a range of about 3 miles. The other MiG fled to Iran. This marked the combat debut of the AIM-120 AMRAAM and was also the first air-to-air combat for a USAF F-16. The victorious pilot was LtCol Gary North, flying F-16D Block 42 serial number 90-0778.

Under Operation Deny Flight, instituted on April 12, 1993, Serbian aircraft were forbidden to fly over Bosnian territory. On February 18, 1994, two USAF F-16Cs from the 86th Tactical Fighter Wing/526th Tactical Fighter Squadron shot down four Serbian Soko G-4 Super Galebs over Bosnia-Herzegovina. This was the first offensive action ever performed by NATO warplanes. Six Galebs had been spotted by an E-3 Sentry while bombing targets in the town of Bugojno. They were warned twice to land or leave the UN no-fly zone, but both warnings were ignored. Two USAF F-16s were then vectored in to intercept the Galebs. Two more warnings were given, and the F-16Cs were given clearance to fire. F-16C 89-2137 flown by Capt. Robert Wright fired a single AIM-120 AMRAAM which dispatched the lead Galeb, and then fired two Sidewinders which destroyed two more Galebs. The second F-16C flown by Capt. Scott O'Grady fired a Sidewinder at the fourth aircraft, but this missile missed. A second flight of F-16Cs was vectored in by the AWACS, and the lead aircraft from this flight (89-2009) , destroyed a fourth Galeb. The remaining two Galebs managed to escape Bosnian airspace via Croatia.

Operation Deny Flight continued until December 20, 1995, when control of Bosinian peacekeeping was handed over to NATO. During 26 months of operations from Aviano, more than 400 missions were flown.

In March of 1995, the 23rd FS operated Block 50 Wild Weasel aircraft in support of Operation Provide Comfort, the enforcement of the no-fly zone over northern Iraq. A number of HARMs were fired at Iraqi SAM sites that were attempting to illuminate coalition aircraft.

Operation Deliberate Force began on August 30, 1995.

The Air Force has announced plans to convert as many as 200 Block 30 F-16C/D Fighting Falcons for high-intensity daylight close-air support. An additional 200 Block 40 F-16C/Ds will be provided with enhanced capability for night CAS patrols. The Block 30 F-16C/Ds will have an improved data computer, a laser spot tracker, and possibly a missile approach warning system. The Block 40 F-16C/Ds will be given an upgraded LANTIRN system which will have a laser spot tracker to enhance identification of ground targets. The primary weapon for CAS will be the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile.

USAF units operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon:

• 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Korea:
  35th and 80th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  F-16A/B Block 10 taken on strength in September 1981, the 8th becoming the first overseas USAF unit to be equipped with the F-16. Later equipped with Block 15 F-16A/B. Converted to F-16C/D Block 30 in October 1987. In 1990, began to receive F-16Cs passed on to it from the 36th TFS at Osan.
• 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, Kadena AB, Japan:
  26th Aggressor Squadron
  Was to have received Block 30 F-16Cs in 1989, but was disbanded in 1990 before planes could be taken on strength when USAF disbanded its aggressor program. Planes transferred to 36th TFS at Osan.
  
  
  8th FW Wing CC F-16C

• 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, North Carolina
  55th, 77th, 78th, 79th Fighter Squadrons
• 23rd Wing, Pope AFB, North Carolina:
  74th Fighter Squadron
  23rd Wing was activated in June 1992. Dedicated to support of 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. Other squadrons are A-10 and C-130 units. Was lead unit in planned invasion of Haiti. Took part in major reinforcement of Kuwait in response to Iraqi maneuvers.
• 27th Fighter Wing, Canon AFB, New Mexico:
  428th, 522nd, 523rd and 524th Fighter Squadrons.
• 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Homestead AFB, Florida:
  306th, 307th, 308th and 309th Tactical Fighter Squadrons.
  Received F-16A/B Block 15 in October 1982. 306th TFS have been deactivated. Converted to F/16C/D Block 40 in 1990. The "Tactical" was dropped from the designation in 1991. In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew devastated Homestead and the unit was deactivated. Squadron numbers transferred to Luke AFB as training squadrons. Wing number of 31 later reestablished at Aviano, Italy with the 512th and 555th Fighter Squadrons.
• 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy:
  510th and 555th Fighter Squadron.
  Made up of 401st TFW that was deactivated in 1991. Received 31st FW number from disbanded Homestead unit. Activated April 1994 with Block F-16C/D aircraft from Ramstein AB. 526th FS was renumbered 555th FS, which had previously been an F-15E training unit at Luke AFB. The 512th FS was transferred directly from Ramstein. In 1994, the 512th FS was renumbered 510th FS, assuming the identity of an A10 unit. This unit has been heavily involved in the Deny Flight operations over former Yugoslavia.
• 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan:
  13th and 14th Fighter Squadrons
  Previously operated F-4Gs at George AFB, and was inactivated in December 1992. Reactivated in 1993 in Iceland, but numberplate transferred to Misawa in October 1994, replacing the 432nd FW. Operates Block 50 F-16CJs.
  
  35th FW Wild Weasels

• 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn AB, Germany:
  10th , 313th, and 496th Tactical Fighter Squadrons.
  First USAF F-16 unit in Europe, with Block 15 F-16A/Bs replacing F-4E Phantoms in July 1982. Upgraded to Block 25 F-16C/D in 1986. 50th TFW deactivated in September 1991. 313th and 496th TFS disbanded and planes redistributed to ANG.
• 51st Tactical Fighter Wing, Osan AB, Korea:
  36th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
  Received first Block 30 F-16C/Ds in January 1989. Received new LANTIRN-equipped F-16C Block 42 aircraft in June 1990. These are equipped with the F100-PW-220 engine. Initial batch of F-16Cs transferred to 8th TFW at Kunsan. In October 1990, became 51st Fighter Wing. Also has a squadron of A-10s and a C-12J squadron.
• 52nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany:
  22nd, 23rd, 81st, and 480th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  Acquired Block 30 F-16C/D in July 1987. Acts in conjunction with F-4G Phantom in the "Wild Weasel" SAM suppression role. 81st squadron later converted to an A-10 unit. 480th was later renumbered as 22nd FS. Acquired Block 50 F-16C/D in 1993. Today, the 52nd is a composite wing, with two F-16 squadrons, one of A-10s, and one of F-15Cs. Heavily involved in Deny Flight operations over former Yugoslavia, with detachments based at Aviano AB.
• 53rd Wing, Eglin AFB, Florida
  85th TES, 422nd TES
• 56th Tactical Training Wing, MacDill AFB, Florida:
  61st, 62nd, 63rd, and 72nd Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons
  Received first Block 1/5 F-16A/Bs in October of 1979, replacing the F-4D Phantom. Eventually standardized on F-16C/D Block 30 aircraft in 1990. Wing and squadrons were redesignated as FW and FS respectively in 1991. Inactivated in 1994, with squadron numbers and wing numberplate being assigned to 58th FW at Luke AFB. 58th FW later redesignated 56th FW.
• 57th Fighter Weapons Wing, Nellis AFB, Nevada:
  422nd Test Squadron, F-16 Fighter Weapons Squadron. 414th Training Squadron, 64th Aggressor Squadron, Detachment 2 at Luke AFB, Detachment 16 at Hill AFB.
  Carries out flight test and evaluation duties. 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron received first F-16A in September of 1980. Small numbers of Block 15s F-16A/B and Block 25 F-16C/Ds were used. 57th was one of the first two units to take delivery of F-16C/D Block 32s, in June/July of 1987. Fighter Weapons School used for instructional purposes. 64th AS operated Block 32 F-16C/D, but with cancellation of USAF adversary program, the 64th AS was deactivated on October 5, 1990. A small number of Block 32 F-16C/Ds operate in Russian-style camouflage with the Adversary Tactics Division of the 414th Training Squadron (formerly the 4440th Tactical Fighter Training Group), the unit responsible for organizing the *Red Flag* exercises. The Aerial Demonstration Swuadron (Thunderbirds) are based at Nellis, now operating F-16C/D Block 32. Redesignated 57th Wing in 1994.
• 58th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Arizona:
  61st, 62nd 63rd, 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, 312th, 314th, 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadrons
  Acquired F-16A/B Block 10 aircraft in February 1983, initially equipping 310th, 311th, and 312th TFTS. 314th TFTS added in 1986. 310th, 312th, 314th converted to F-16C/D Block 25 in 1986. The 311th TFTS remained with the F-16A, and was the primary squadron providing training to FMS transition to foreign F-16 pilots. Lost 312th TFTS in 1991. Redesignated 58th FW on October 1, 1991. When MacDill closed, F-16 training commitment was transferred to Luke. Name changed to 56th Fighter Wing on April 1, 1994, taking over training duties from MacDill AFB. Acquired 61st, 62nd, and 63rd squadron numbers from MacDill, plus 308th and 309th numbers from ex- Homestead 31st FW. 425th FS is expected to adopt the 307th FS number in the future. Only the 310th and 311th FS from the original 58th TTW lineup have survived. 56th FW has 8 F-16 squadrons, standardized on Block 40, but 61st and 62nd retain Block 25s and the 425 still has Block 15 A/Bs for training of FMS customers. This FMS mission is to be handed over to the Arizona ANG in late 1995, with the 425th receiving F-16C/D. Current squadrons are 21st, 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 308th, 309th, 310th, 311th, and 425th.
• 75th Air Base Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
  Ogden Air Logistics Center operates two F-16 for testing of new maintenance procedures and modifications.
• 79th Test and Evaluation Group, Eglin AFB, Florida: 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron--redesignated 85th TS 1992
  Operates a variety of F-16s on test and evaluation programs
• 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Bentwaters, England:
  527th Aggressor Squadron
  Acquired Block 32 F-16Cs in January 1989 for aggressor role. Disbanded in 1990, with aircraft being dispersed to other units.
• 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas
  Equipped with a number of GF-16 ground instructional airframes.
• 86th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany:
  512th and 526th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  Converted to Block 30 F-16C/D in December 1985, replacing F-4E Phantom. First overseas operator of F-16C/D. Received Block 40 LANTIRN-capable F-16C/D in 1993/1994. Heavily involved with Deny Flight operations over former Yugoslavia. These two F-16 squadrons relocated to Aviano AB, Italy in 1995. The 526th was redesignated the 555th, and the 512th became the 510th, and they were transferred to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing. The 86th Wing remained at Ramstein, but became an air transport wing.
• 347th Tactical Fighter Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia:
  68th, 69th, 70th, 307th, 308th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  68th, 69th, and 70th TFS converted to Block 15 F-16A/B in 1985. In early 1990, converted to F-16C/D Block 40 with LANTIRN. 69th TFS was dispatched to Desert Storm. In 1993, absorbed 307th and 308th FS from deactivating 31st FW in preparation to becoming an Army support composite wing. Redesignated 347th Wing on July 1, 1994. Lost 69th, 70th, and 308th FS, and 307th was renumbered as the "new" 69th FS. 70th FS number was transferred to a new A-10 squadron. Now has 68th and 69th FS with Block 40 F-16C/D. The 52nd AS flies C-130s.
• 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska:
  18th Tactical Fighter Squadron
  Was formerly 343rd Fighter Wing, but acquired the number of the 354th FW in 1993 when it disbanded as an A-10 unit. Obtained Block 40 LANTIRN-capable F-16C/D in 1991.
• 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, South Carolina:
  17th, 19th, and 33rd Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  Had been the 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, operating the RF-4C Phantom. 17th and 19th TFS began converting to F-16A/B Block 15 in 1982, but transitioned to Block 25 F-16C/D in 1985. 33rd TFS retained its RF-4Cs until 1989 when it transitioned to F-16Cs. Reequipped with F-16C/D Block 42 in 1991 and soon thereafter to Block 50D. Stationed at Al Dafra AB at Sharjah for *Desert Storm*. Became 363rd FW (17th, 19th and 33rd FS) in 1991. Achieved first USAF F-16 kill on December 27, 1992, a MiG-25 over southern Iraq. 363rd FW redesignated 20th FW in January 1994, with its squadrons being renumbered 77th, 78th, and 79th FS. 20th FW was formerly an F-111E unit which had been deactivated, the 77th and 79th FS had formerly been F-111E squadrons, and the 78th FS had formerly been an A-10 unit.
• 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho:
  389th Tactical Fighter Squadron
  Redesignated 366th Wing on January 1, 1992. Acquired Block 25 F-16C/D in Summer of 1992 Other squadrons in the wing are equipped with F-15, KC-135R, and B-1B. 389th FS upgraded to Block 52D F-16C/D at end of 1994. Supported Operation Provide Comfort.
• 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah:
  4th, 34th, and 421st Tactical Fighter Squadrons. 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron.
  First USAF unit to operate the F-16A/B, taking delivery of first F-16A on January 6, 1979. Operated Block 1, 5, and 10 machines, and primarily used as a training unit, including instructors from the initial four European users. 16th TFTS deactivated in 1987 and its planes transferred to Montana ANG. The remaining 3 squadrons converted to Block 40 LANTIRN-capable F-16C/Ds beginning in May of 1989. 4th FS received Block 50 F-16C in 1993. 34th and 421st did not. 4th reverted to Block 40 aircraft in early 1995. Hill AFB is a possible candidate for base closure.
• 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, Torrejon AB, Spain:
  612th, 613th, 614th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  Reequipped with F-16A/B in April 1983, replacing the F-4D Phantom. Re-equipped in 1989 with F-16C/D Block 30 aircraft. In 1989, Spanish government voted to evict US combat units from its territory, and 401st prepared to move to Italy. The Gulf War intervened, and the 614th TFS was sent to Qatar to provide air defense. 401th TFW vacated Torrejon in 1992. 612th, 613th, 614th TFW deactivated and aircraft were redistributed to other units. Relocated to Aviano AB, Italy, but with no aircraft. Redesignated the 31st Fighter Wing in April 1994 and equipped with Block 40 F-16C/D aircraft relocated from Ramstein AB.
• 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan:
  13th and 14th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  Second Pacific Air Force wing to receive F-16. Converted to F-16A/B Block 15 in July 1985. Later converted to F-16C/D Block 30 in 1990. Renumbered as 35th Fighter Wing in 1992, adopting the number of a disbanding F-4 wing at George AFB. In early 1995, received Block 50 F-16C/D aircraft.
• 474th Tactical Fighter Wing, Nellis AFB, Nevada:
  428th, 429th, and 430th Tactical Fighter Squadrons
  Third wing to receive Fighting Falcons. Received first Block 1/5 F-16A/Bs in November 1980, replacing F-4D Phantom. Later operated Block 10 F-16A/Bs. Unit deactivated in 1989, the three squadrons resurfacing as F-111 operators with the 27th FW.
• 3246th Test Wing, Elgin AFB, Florida:
  39th and 40th Flight Test Squadron, 3247th Test Squadron
  Flight test mission for armament work. Received first F-16A/B Block 5s in 1980. Renumbered 46th Test Wing in 1992, with 3247th TS becoming the 40th FTS. The 39th FTS was added later.
• 6510th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, California:
  6512th Test Squadron, 416th Fighter Test Squadron
  Flight test duties, chase aircraft, aircraft for the Test Pilot School. Renumbered 412th Test Wing October 1, 1992, and its fleet organized into squadrons by type. All F-16 flying now conducted by 416th FTS.
• Tactical Air Warfare Center, Elgin AFB, Florida:
  4485th Test Squadron.
  Has operated a mixed bag of F-16s since 1975 on weapons delivery and other tactics test missions.
• Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah
  operates a single F-16A for test duties.

Air Force Reserve:

In March of 1982, the USAF announced that the Air Force Reserve would be supplied with F-16A/B Fighting Falcons. The Air Force Reserve, like the Air National Guard, has in recent years been assigned a greater responsibility for supplementing frontline units, and has been assigned the latest aircraft types and equipment to support active duty units if needed. Initially primarily a transport-oriented unit, the AFRes now operates a variety of combat aircraft as well as aeromedical evacuation, rescue, and air evacuation aircraft. The AFRes has even been assigned strategic bombers.

In January of 1984, the 419th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Hill AFB in Utah became the first Air Force Reserve unit to operate the F-16, taking delivery of F-16A/B blocks 1, 5, and 10 aircraft transferred to it from the 388th TFW, also based at Hill. They replaced F-105 Thunderchief fighter bombers.

AFRes F-16s have flown a number of missions over northern Iraq under Operation Provide Comfort. The Air Force Reserve is scheduled for drastic cutbacks under the current defense drawdown following the end of the Cold War. The seven surviving F-16 units will reduce their complements from 18 to 15 aircraft, and the 89th Fighter Squadron at Wright Patterson AFB will retire its F-16A/Bs in exchange for C-141B transports and will join the 356th ALS, 907th AG.

USAF Reserve Units operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon:

• 301st Fighter Wing, Carswell AFB, Texas:
  457th Fighter Squadron
  Operates F-16A/B beginning in December 1990. Now equipped with Block 30 F-16C/D
• 419th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah:
  466th Tactical Fighter Squadron
  Received first Block 1/5/10 F-16A/B in January 1984, replacing F-105. Aircraft acquired from active-duty 388th TFW. Upgraded to Block 30 F-16C/D in mid 1994.
• 482nd Tactical Fighter Wing, Homestead AFB, Florida:
  93rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
  Acquired Block 15 F-16A/B July 1989. Based at MacDill AFB between 1992 and 1994 after Homestead was damaged by Hurrican Andrew. Returned to Homestead in 1994.
• 507th Tactical Fighter Group, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma:
  465th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
  Acquired Block 10 F-16A/B in 1988. 507th FG inactivated in 1994, the 465th becoming a KC-135 squadron.
• 906th Tactical Fighter Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio:
  89th Tactical Fighter Squadron
  Acquired Block 10 F-16A/B in October 1989 Inactivated in late 1994 and 89th squadron number was transfered to a C-141B airlift unit.
• 924th Fighter Group, Bergstrom AFB, Texas:
  704th Fighter Squadron
  Converted to Block 15 F-16A/B in 1991. Acquired Block 32 F-16C/D in 1994. 924th was raised to Wing status on October 1, 1994.
• 926th Fighter Group, NAS New Orleans, Louisiana:
  706th Fighter Squadron
  Equipped with Block 30 F-16C/D in 1992.
• 944th Tactical Fighter Group, Luke AFB, Arizona:
  302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron
  Issued with Block 32 F-16C/D in 1987. Designation changed to 944th FG/302nd FS in 1992.

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: Lockheed F-16 Block 40/32.

General Dynamics F-16A/B Block 40/42
General Dynamics F-16C/D Block 40/42
Lockheed F-16C/D Block 40/42

Last revised March 19, 2000

The next major Fighting Falcon production block was Block 40/42, sometimes also known as the "Night Falcon" because of its enhanced night/all-weather capabilities.

Block 40/42 (also part of MSIP III) introduced the Martin-Marietta LANTIRN (Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infra-Red for Night) navigation and targeting system, which makes it possible to carry out both night and bad-weather ground attack operations. This system consists of two pods--a AAQ-13 navigation pod carried on the left-hand chin pylon and an AAQ-14 targeting pod on the right-hand chin pylon. The AAQ-13 has a wide-angle FLIR sensor and a Texas Instruments terrain-following radar. The AAQ-14 pod carries a stabilized and steerable IR imager and a laser rangefinder.

The LANTIRN must interface with the flight controls, since the pod flies the airplane while in terrain-following mode. The LANTIRN system required a lot more automation to make it possible for the pilot to fly hands-off while in a weapons-delivery mission, and the analog flight control system of the F-16 was replaced by an AlliedSignal quadruplex flight control system. The digital flight control system allows data to go straight from the LANTIRN pod right to the flight control system, and allows automatic terrain-following capability.

The Block 40/42 is provided with a fully-integrated GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation receiver, being the first combat aircraft to be so equipped. HARM II, and carries the reliability-enhanced APG-68V radar.

The Block 40/42 is also provided with a diffractive optics and holographic, wide-angle heads-up display built by GEC-Marconi. It offers a wider field of view than the previous reflective HUD, and imagery can be superimposed over the outside view. The HUD can be fed with FLIR imagery from the LANTIRN system.

The configured engine bay has options for either the General Electric F110-GE-100 (Block 40) or the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 (Block 42), although the two engines are not routinely interchangeable. The Block 40 F-16 has a larger air intake than that of the Block 42 because of the greater airflow requirements of the F110 engine.

The airframe was provided with greater structural strength, which raised the 9-g capability from 26,900 pounds to 28,500 pounds. The undercarriage legs were made longer in order to provide more adequate clearance for the two underfuselage LANTIRN pods, and the wheels and tires were made larger. The Block 40/42 aircraft also have bulged landing gear doors to accommodate the larger wheels, and the landing lights were moved from the main landing gear well to the nose gear doors.

The first Block 40 F-16C (87-0350) flew on December 23, 1988, with company test pilot Steve Barter at the controls. The first Block 40 F-16D (87-0391, flew for the first time on February 8, 1969, with Ken Giles and Joe Sweeney in the cockpit. The first Block 42 F-16C (87-0356) was flown on April 25, 1989 by Bland Smith. The first Block 42 F-16D (87-0394) took off on its first flight on May 26, 1989, flown by Joe Sweeney and Tim Easton. Deliveries of the Block 40/42 Fighting Falcon began in December of 1988. The first Block 40 was deployed to Luke AFB, Arizona in May of 1989. The first user of the Block 42 was the 58th TFW (now known as the 56th FW) at Luke AFB, Arizona.

The Block 40/42 was in production between 1988 and 1995, with a total of 744 being built. Examples were sold to Israel, Egypt, Bahrain, and Turkey. Production of the Block 40/42 has been re-started to meet additional demand from Egypt and Bahrain. Egypt will get 21 aircraft in 1999/2000, probably taken from the Turkish production line, and Bahrain will acquire 12 additional Block 40s from the same source to equip a second squadron.

On December 9, 1992, it was announced that Lockheed had bought out the Fort Worth Division of General Dynamics for 1.525 billion dollars in cash. The plant would henceforth be known as the Lockheed Fort Worth Company. This marked the end of production of complete aircraft by General Dynamics, the remaining elements of the company now being involved only in the manufacture of submarines, the M1A1 tank, airliner components, missiles, space systems, and electronics. The manufacture of the F-16 would, however, still continue at Fort Worth, with the aircraft now being known as the Lockheed F-16.

Serials of Block 40/42 F-16C/D: 87-350/351 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40 Fighting Falcon
87-352/355 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40A Fighting Falcon
87-356 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42A Fighting Falcon
87-357 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40A Fighting Falcon
87-358 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42A Fighting Falcon
87-359 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40A Fighting Falcon
87-360/362 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42A Fighting Falcon
87-391/393 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40A Fighting Falcon
87-394/396 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42A Fighting Falcon
88-014/015 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40A Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
88-033/037 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40A Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
88-153/165 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42A Fighting Falcon
88-166 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-167 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-168 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-169 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-170 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-171/174 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-175 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42 Fighting Falcon
88-412 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42A Fighting Falcon
88-413 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-414 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon
88-415/416 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-417 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon
88-418/419 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-420 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon
88-421/422 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-423 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon
88-424/426 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-427 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon
88-428/433 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-434 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon
88-435/440 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon
88-441 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-442 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-443/444 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-445 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-446/447 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-448 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-449/450 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-451 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-452/454 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-455 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-456/457 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-458 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-459/460 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-461 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-462/463 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-464 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-465/468 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-469 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-470/471 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-472 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-473/474 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-475 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-476/477 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-478 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-479/480 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-481 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-482/483 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-484 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-485/486 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-487 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-488/489 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-490 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-491/492 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-493 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-494/495 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40C Fighting Falcon
88-496 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42C Fighting Falcon
88-497/498 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon 497 (310th FS) w/o Oct 22, 1998 in midair collision with another F-16.
88-499 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-500/501 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-502 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-503/504 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-505 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-506/507 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-508 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-509/510 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-511 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-512/513 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-514 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-515/516 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-517 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-518/519 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-520 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-521/523 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon 0523 w/o Feb 23, 1993, Lake Sinclair, GA
88-524 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-525/526 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-527 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-528/529 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-530 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-531/533 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-534 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-535/538 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-539 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-540/541 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-542 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-543/544 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-545 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-546/547 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
88-548 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42D Fighting Falcon
88-549/550 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon
89-022/033 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40A Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I 0029 w/o Apr 28, 1993 0032 w/o Sept 29, 1995
89-034/041 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
89-042 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40A Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
89-043/045 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40D Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
89-277 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon to Israel as 502, Peace Marble III
89-278/279 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9701/9702
89-2000/2001 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon 2000 w/o Feb 5, 1995.
89-2002 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2003 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2004 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2005/2006 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2007 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2008/2009 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2010 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2011 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2012 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2013/2016 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2017 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2018 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2019 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2020/2021 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2022 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2023/2024 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2025 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2026/2027 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon 2027 w/o Sept 19, 1990, Hampton County, SC
89-2028 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2029/2030 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2031 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2032/2033 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2034 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2035/2036 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon 2036 w/o Jan 26, 1995, Adriatic Sea
89-2037 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2038/2039 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2040 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2041/2044 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon 2043 w/o 4/94, Osan AB
89-2045 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon w/o Apr 21, 1997.
89-2046/2047 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2048 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2049/2050 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2051 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2052 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2053 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2054 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon
89-2055 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2056 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2057/2058 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2059 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon w/o Oct 3, 1991, Nellis Range
89-2060/2069 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon 2061 w/o Apr 4, 1991, Haylow, GA 2069 w/o 5/18/93, Eielson AB, Alaska
89-2070 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2071/2072 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2073 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2074/2075 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2076 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2077/2078 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2079 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2080/2081 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2082 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2083/2084 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2085 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2086/2087 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon 2089 w/o 12/16/91, Georgia
89-2088/2089 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2090 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2091 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2092/2093 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2094 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon 2094 w/o Feb 16, 2000 over Barry Goldwater range, AZ. Pilot ejected safely.
89-2095/2096 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2097/2098 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2099 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2100 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2101/2102 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2103/2105 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2106/2107 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2108 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2109 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2110/2111 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon 2110 w/o Aug 24, 1992, Homestead AFB
89-2112 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2113 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2114 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2115/2116 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2117 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2118/2119 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2120 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2121/2122 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2123 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2124/2125 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2126 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2127 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2128/2129 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2130/2131 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2132 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2133/2134 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon 2134 w/o 2/16/94 in accident during Operation *Deny Flight*
89-2135 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2136/2137 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2138 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2139/2140 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2141/2142 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2143 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2144 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
89-2145 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
89-2146/2147 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
89-2148 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
89-2149/2150 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
89-2151 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
89-2152/2153 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
89-2154 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
89-2155/2159 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42E Fighting Falcon
89-2160/2165 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42F Fighting Falcon
89-2166/2169 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2170 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2171 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40F Fighting Falcon
89-2172/2174 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2175 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2176 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2177 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42G Fighting Falcon
89-2178 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40G Fighting Falcon
89-2179 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42G Fighting Falcon
90-001/009 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey 002 w/o Apr 1, 1993
90-010/021 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey
90-022/024 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40F Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey
90-028/029 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40D Fighting Falcon to Bahrain as 101,103, under Peace Crown
90-030/035 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40E Fighting Falcon to Bahrain as 105,107,109,111,113,115, under Peace Crown
90-036/039 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40D Fighting Falcon to Bahrain as 150,152,154,156, under Peace Crown
90-700/702 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-703 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-704/708 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-709/711 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-712/713 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-714 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-715/716 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-717/718 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-719/722 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-723/725 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-726/732 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-733/736 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-737/740 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-741 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42J Fighting Falcon
90-742/745 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40J Fighting Falcon
90-746/752 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42J Fighting Falcon 749 w/o 5/31/92, Nevada
90-753 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40J Fighting Falcon
90-754/755 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42J Fighting Falcon
90-756 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40J Fighting Falcon
90-757/762 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42J Fighting Falcon 761 w/o Oct 27, 1992, Shaw AFB
90-763 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40J Fighting Falcon
90-764/768 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42J Fighting Falcon 764 w/o Feb 7, 1994, Soper, OK
90-769/770 General Dynamics F-16C Block 42K Fighting Falcon
90-771/776 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40K Fighting Falcon
90-777 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-778 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42H Fighting Falcon 0778 scored first USAF F-16 kill 12/27/92
90-779/780 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-781 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-782 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40H Fighting Falcon
90-783 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-784 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40H Fighting Falcon 784 w/o Feb 18, 1993, Eielson AFB, Alaska
90-785/787 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42H Fighting Falcon
90-788/793 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42J Fighting Falcon
90-791/792 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40J Fighting Falcon
90-793 General Dynamics F-16D Block 42J Fighting Falcon
90-794/796 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40J Fighting Falcon
90-797/800 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40K Fighting Falcon
90-850/854 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 503,506,508,511,512 under Peace Marble III
90-855/862 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 514,516,519,520,522,523 525,527 under Peace Marble III
90-863/870 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40K Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 528,530,531,534,535,536 538,539 under Peace Marble III
90-871/874 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40L Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 542,543,546,547 under Peace Marble III
90-875/878 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40H Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 601,603,606,610 under Peace Marble III
90-879/886 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40J Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 612,615,619,621,624,628, 630,633, Peace Marble III
90-887/894 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40K Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 637,638,642,647,648,651, 652,656, Peace Marble III.
90-895/898 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40L Fighting Falcon sold to Israel as 660,664,666,667, Peace Marble III.
90-899/907 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9903/9911
90-908/922 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40K Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9912/9926
90-923/930 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40L Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9927/9934
90-931/934 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40H Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9801/9804
90-935/936 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40J Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9805/9806
90-937 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40K Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9807
90-953 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40M Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9935
90-954 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40M Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9808
90-955/958 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40N Fighting Falcon sold to Egypt as 9809/9812
91-001/005 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40F Fighting Falcon Built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
91-006/021 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40H Fighting Falcon Built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I 0009 w/o 1/3/94, Bursa
91-022/024 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40J Fighting Falcon Built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
91-025/032 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40CF Fighting Falcon for Bahrain
91-033/036 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40CF Fighting Falcon for Bahrain
91-486/489 General Dynamics F-16C Block 40L Fighting Falcon to Israel as 551,554,557,558, Peace Marble III
91-490/495 General Dynamics F-16D Block 40L Fighting Falcon to Israel as 673,676,678,682,684,687, Peace Marble III
92-001/017 Lockheed F-16C Block 40L Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
92-018/021 Lockheed F-16C Block 40P Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
92-022/024 Lockheed F-16D Block 40L Fighting Falcon built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
93-001/014 Lockheed F-16C Block 40P Fighting Falcon c/n 4R-123/4R-135. Built by TAI for Turkey, Peace Onyx I
93-485/487 Lockheed F-16C Block 40Q Fighting Falcon Built by TUSAS in Turkey for Egypt as 9951/9953
93-488/512 Lockheed F-16C Block 40R Fighting Falcon C/n BC-36/BC-59. Built by TUSAS in Turkey for Egypt as 9954/9978
93-513/516 Lockheed F-16D Block 40N Fighting Falcon C/n BC-60/BC-63. Built by TUSAS in Turkey for Egypt as 9851/9854
93-517/524 Lockheed F-16D Block 40P Fighting Falcon C/n BD-13/BD-24. Built by TUSAS in Turkey for Egypt as 9855/9862
93-525/530 Lockheed F-16C Block 40R Fighting Falcon c/n BC-64/BC-69. Built by TUSAS in Turkey for Egypt as 9979/9984
93-657/690 Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 40 Fighting Falcon c/n HC-1/HC-34 under licence by TAI to Turkey as 93-657/690. (Conflict here)
93-691/696 Lockheed Martin F-16D Block 40 Fighting Falcon c/n HD-1/HD-6 under licence by TAI To Turkey as 93-691/696
99-105/116 Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 40 Fighting Falcon FMS to Egypt
99-117/128 Lockheed Martin F-16D Block 40 Fighting Falcon FMS to Egypt

plus later contracts. This list is almost certainly incomplete and I would (as always) appreciate hearing from anyone who has additions or corrections.

Specification of Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon: Engine: One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 turbofan, 23,770 lb.s.t. with afterburning or one General Electric F110-GE-100 turbofan, 28,984 lb.s.t with afterburning. Performance (at 27,245 pounds with F100 engine): Maximum short-endurance speed: Mach 2.02 (1333 mph) at 40,000 feet. Maximum sustained speed Mach 1.89 (1247 mph) at 40,000 feet. Tactical radius (hi-lo-hi interdiction on internal fuel with six 500-lb bombs) 360 miles. Maximum ferry range 2450 miles with maximum external fuel. Dimensions: wingspan 31 feet 0 inches, length 49 fee5 4 inches, height 16 feet 8 1/2 inches, wing area 300 square feet. Weights: 18,238 pounds empty, 26,463 pounds normal loaded (air-to-air mission), 42,300 pounds maximum takeoff. Armament: One 20-mm M61A1 rotary cannon and up to 12,430 pounds of ordnance or fuel distributed between one fuselage centerline and six underwing stations, plus wingtip stations. An AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile is normally carried on each wingtip station.

ROKAF F-16C

The following is excerpted from Baugher Site: F-16 for Republic of Korea.

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon for Korea

Last revised September 5, 2000

The Republic of Korea faces a heavily-armed intransigent North Korea which is equipped with up to 600 tactical jet aircraft. In pursuit of newer and more capable weapons, in December of 1981, the Republic of Korea signed a letter of agreement for the purchase of 36 F-16C/D Block 32 Fighting Falcons. This made the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) the first foreign operator of the F-16C/D model of the Fighting Falcon. This program was known as Peace Bridge. These new F-16 aircraft were intended to augment the F-4D/E Phantoms and the F-5E Tiger IIs, which were at that time the primary combat aircraft serving with the ROKAF.

The Korean program was christened Victory Falcon in 1986 by Chun Doo Hwan, president of the Republic of Korea. Four more F-16D Block 32s were ordered in June of 1988. The ROKAF's F-16s currently serve with the 11th Tactical Fighter Wing based at Taegu AB in southern South Korea.


ROKAF F-16 painting by Thompson (From Code One Magazine)
Click on image to enlarge

In the more ambitious Korean Fighter Program (previously known as the F-X program), the F-16 lost out to the F/A-18 Hornet. On December 18, 1989, the Korean government announced that they were going to acquire 120 examples of the F/A-18. The decision was based in part on a lucrative offset offer under which most of the F/A-18s would be manufactured in Korea.

However, the planned purchase of 120 Hornets by Korea got bogged down in funding technicalities, and Korea opted for 120 more F-16s instead. They will all be manufactured to the Block 52 standard, and will have upgraded avionics and Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines. They will be equipped to carry the LANTIRN night navigation/targeting pod system and will be able to carry and fire the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the AGM-88 HARM antiradiation missile. Under the terms of the agreement, Lockheed at Fort Worth will manufacture the first 12 aircraft, the next 36 will be delivered in kit form and assembled in South Korea, whereas the last 72 will built in South Korea by Samsung Aerospace.

South Korea took delivery of the first of these aircraft on December 2, 1994. The first five F-16s to be assembled locally by Samsung from Lockheed Martin-supplied knockdown kits were accepted on November 9, 1995 at the Sachon air base.

In July of 2000, it was announced that a contract had been signed for the production of 20 Block 52 F-16C/Ds. They will be built by Korean Aerospace Industries, and will be powered by F100-PW-229 engines, and will be equipped with the ASPJ internal countermeasures system, APG-68(V)7 radar, LANTIRN targeting and navigation systems. They will be capable of carrying AMRAAAM, HARM, and SLAM missiles. First delivery is scheduled for July 2003.

Serials of ROKAF F-16s:

84-1370/1373 General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon for South Korea as 41370/41373
85-1384/1385 General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon for South Korea
85-1574/1583 General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon to South Korea as 51574/51583
85-1584/1585 General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon to South Korea as 51584,51585
86-1586/1597 General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon for South Korea
87-1653/1660 General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon for South Korea as 71653/71660.
90-0938/0941 General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon sold to South Korea as 00938/00941

Serials for F-16s built wholly or in kit form:

92-4000 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52G Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4001 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52H Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4002/4003 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52J Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4004/4008 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52K Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4009/4013 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52L Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4014/4017 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52M Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4018/4027 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16C Block 52N Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4028/4031 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16D Block 52G Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4032/4037 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16D Block 52H Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4038 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16D Block 52K Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4039 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16D Block 52L Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4040/4041 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16D Block 52M Fighting Falcon for Korea
92-4042/4047 Lockheed/General Dynamics F-16D Block 52N Fighting Falcon for Korea
93-4048/4099 Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52D Fighting Falcon c/n KC-29/KC-80. To South Korea
93-4100/4119 Lockheed Martin F-16D Block 52D Fighting Falcon c/n KD-21/KD-40. To South Korea

ROKAF F-16Cs over Dokdo -- disputed territorial island
that has become a national symbol.

F-16 LINKS:

For everything you'd ever want to know about the F-16 from patches to specifications, go to F-16.net. A MUST SEE SITE.

An excellent overview of the ground maintenance actions of a crew chief for an F-16 can be found at Daily Ground Operations with the Viper.

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NOTICE/DISCLAIMER: The content of this page is unofficial and the views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of anyone associated with this page or any of those linked from this site. All opinions are those of the writer and are intended for entertainment purposes only. Links to other web pages are provided for convenience and do not, in any way, constitute an endorsement of the linked pages or any commercial or private issues or products presented there. None of this site has been endorsed by the DOD, the Air Force, the 8th Fighter Wing or Mickey Mouse. All Air Force links are publicly accessible through the world-wide web. If there is any discrepancy between eye-witness accounts and OFFICIAL DOD records, this site opts to lend credence to the eye-witness views.

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