The original F-16 was designed as a lightweight air-to-air day fighter. Air-to-ground responsibilities transformed the first production F-16s into multirole fighters. F-16s that followed expanded and refined these multiple roles with beyond-visual-range missiles, digital flight controls, infrared sensors, precision-guided munitions, high-speed antiradiation missiles, and a variety of other capabilities. Advanced versions of the F-16 just around the corner build upon these refinements to enhance capability further.
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Some interesting items were used on the prototypes to keep development costs low. These items included main landing gear tires from the B-58 Hustler, an emergency power unit from the Concorde, an ejection seat from the A-4, a forked air data probe from the SR-71 Blackbird, and servo actuators from the F-111 Aardvark. The actuators in the leading edge flaps were rotary actuators from the F-111 bomb bay doors. The canopy design and the canopy latching system was based on the X-24.
A lot of off-the-shelf equipment, however, did make it onto the FSD aircraft, including a head-up display modified from an A-7 Corsair, nosegear wheel and tire from the F-4, a signal data recorder from the A-10, an oxygen quantity indicator from an F-5E, and a nosewheel steering system from the T-39. The engine, of course, was a modified version of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine used in the F-15.
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The YF-16 flew for the first time in 1974 at Edwards. The first production F-16 rolled out of the factory in Fort Worth in August 1978. Since then, over 3,600 F-16s have rolled off assembly lines in five countries. Nineteen air forces fly the Fighting Falcon. Several are planning follow-on buys. A dozen other countries are considering the fighter to modernize their fleets. F-16 production is expected for another ten years and front-line service will extend beyond the year 2020.
I am curious and I know I heard this from somewhere, but, when you are training to fly is it true that they make you stall the engines at a vertical climb and then during free fall ignite them back up?
Sierradaddy said this in post #2 : Single-pilot planes, yes?
Is that the general situation for most fighters nowadays? I would think that technology allows for what used to take two people, to now take one...
Btw, this was the plane I was thinking of when I asked about the F-18's in the other thread... The F-16 is definitely a sleeker, sexier looking jet.
The F-16 is available in a single-seat version and a two-seat version. The two-seat version is normally used as a training aircraft. Most of the fighters sold are single-seat versions.
Most fighters nowadays are single-seaters. At least the Air Force remains that way. I don't know if the Navy uses single-seat or two seat versions of the F-18. I know the F-14 used a pilot and an RIO before being decommissioned.
chodder said this in post #6 : Huh. Very interesting.
I am curious and I know I heard this from somewhere, but, when you are training to fly is it true that they make you stall the engines at a vertical climb and then during free fall ignite them back up?
02-01-2005 03:44 PM
