The F-16 Fighting Falcon is 50 – But Still Going Strong: On January 24, 2024, Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California, hosted a celebration of the F-16 Fighting Falcon – marking the 50 years since the aircraft made its maiden flight. In those five decades, the F-16 has established itself as the most popular Western fighter in its class, and it continues to serve 28 nations around the world. The proven warbird hasn't gotten older; it has also gotten better.
The F-16, which originated under the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) program for the United States Air Force, has been produced in 138 different configurations from the prototype to its latest production models. Successive changes have seen the addition of improved cockpit technologies, enhanced avionics, sensors, and weapons – while great effort has been made to ensure the fighter is more reliable and easier to maintain and control. The latest F-16s have an increased range and payload, advanced infrared sensors, and laser targeting devices, while it is has improved survivability thanks to more advanced electronic warfare sensors and sophisticated decoys.
The Falcon Rejoin 50 celebration at Edwards AFB included multiple F-16s from units around the world, and featured a performance from the Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration Team.
The 50th anniversary celebration for the F-16 came just as the United States approved the sale of forty new Fighting Falcons to NATO ally Turkey along with modernization kits for its fleet of 79 existing F-16 fighters.
It was also announced that this week, the Argentinean Air Force will move forward on a deal to purchase two dozen F-16s that were previously in service with Denmark. Buenos Aires has selected the "previously owned" American-made Fighting Falcon over the Chinese JF-17 jet fighter.
The U.S. government will aid in financing the acquisition by the South American country.
To date, more than 4,600 aircraft have been built since production of the Fighting Falcon approved in 1976 – and while it is no longer being acquired by the U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin continues to build the F-16 for foreign customers around the world. It remains the world's most successful, combat-proven multi-role jet fighter ever produced.
Among the most advanced Fighting Falcons was the Block 60 version, designated the F-16E/F Desert Falcon. Developed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), it introduced an array of sophisticated avionics, based around the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-80 'agile beam' AESA radar, AN/ASQ-32 Internal FLIR and Targeting System (IFTS) and Falcon Edge internal electronic countermeasure system. The Block 60 first flew in December 2003, and the first Desert Falcons were delivered in May 2005. The aircraft had its combat debut during Operation Unified Protector over the skies of Libya in 2011.
Since it first entered service in 1979, the Fighting Falcon has engaged in more than 400,000 combat sorties and has more than a combined 19 million flight hours. Moreover, the F-16 has been adapted to complete several missions, including air-to-air fighting, ground attack, and electronic warfare. As a combat fighter, it has proven to be highly maneuverable while its combat radius exceeds that of its potential threats.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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