| F-16 Fighting Falcon | |
|---|---|
 A USAF F-16C flying over the desert in Iraq, 2008 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Multirole fighter, air superiority fighter |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer |
|
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | United States Air Force 25 other users (see operators page) |
| Number built | 4,604 (as of June 2018)[1][2] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1973–2017, 2019–present[3] |
| Introduction date | 17 August 1978 |
| First flight |
|
| Variants | General Dynamics X-62 VISTA |
| Developed into | |
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4,600 built since 1976.[4] Although no longer purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation,[5] which became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.[6]
The F-16's key features include a frameless bubble canopy for enhanced cockpit visibility, a side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, an ejection seat reclined 30 degrees from vertical to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that helps to make it an agile aircraft. The fighter has a single turbofan engine, an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 hardpoints. Although officially named "Fighting Falcon", the aircraft is commonly known by the nickname "Viper".[7]
In addition to active duty in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, the US Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration Team,[8] and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured by the air forces of 25 other nations.[9] As of 2024, it is the world's most common fixed-wing aircraft in military service, with 2,145 F-16s operational.[10]
- ^ "How the F-16 fighter jet put Fort Worth on the aerospace map". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
- ^ "Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Build F-16 Block 70 Aircraft for Bahrain". Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Def1_F-16_line_to_SCwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Lockheed Martin to deliver 4,500th F-16 fighter". McClatchy DC. 2 April 2012. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ Rosenwald, Michael S. (17 December 2007). "Downside of Dominance? Popularity of Lockheed Martin's F-16 Makes Its F-35 Stealth Jet a Tough Sell". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
- ^ "Company Histories – Lockheed Martin Corporation". Funding universe. Archived from the original on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ Peacock 1997, p. 100.
- ^ Air Combat Command Public Affairs Staff (14 March 2023). "Meet the 2023 Air Combat Command Demonstration Team Pilots". acc.af.mil. US Air Combat Command. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ Stout, Joe; Quincy, Laurie (8 June 2008). "United States Government Awards Lockheed Martin Contract to Begin Production of Advanced F-16 Aircraft for Morocco". Media – Lockheed Martin (Press release). Lockheed Martin Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 January 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
- ^ 2024 World Air Forces, Flight Global, p. 10.