F-16 to Get Avionics Upgrade

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As a member of the USAF I witnessed the introduction of the F16 in 1978... it was my favorite jet until I witnessed the introduction of the new and improved F22...
in a dog fight the F22 will out perform the F16... a Raptor pilot will fly up an opponets arse so quick they won't know the score until they're pharting bullets...
 
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IN a war, they will rapidly run out of AAM weapons, and bullets are all we will have. So yes, they do matter from the cost to kill aspect.

Rod
 
Originally Posted by BusyLittleShop
As a member of the USAF I witnessed the introduction of the F16 in 1978... it was my favorite jet until I witnessed the introduction of the new and improved F22...
in a dog fight the F22 will out perform the F16... a Raptor pilot will fly up an opponets arse so quick they won't know the score until they're pharting bullets...

But the F16 wont be fighting the F22 (i hope). What opponents might the F16 face and how will it fare vs those opponents?
 
An internal jammer. If only we had that idea when we first built the F16! (Cough, cough ASPJ).
It sure has taken a while for that idea to come back around. I hope cost overruns and contractor greed (cough, cough, Westinghouse) don't doom this project like the last one.
 
Originally Posted by MolaKule
It appears the F-16 will be in service for many more years:

F-16 Avionics upgrade

Originally Posted by BusyLittleShop
As a member of the USAF I witnessed the introduction of the F16 in 1978... it was my favorite jet until I witnessed the introduction of the new and improved F22...
in a dog fight the F22 will out perform the F16... a Raptor pilot will fly up an opponets arse so quick they won't know the score until they're pharting bullets...

F16 is going to stay for A LONG time in use. F16 is perfect jet for pretty much any air force that does not want to pay for F35, and those that buy F35 will keep in inventory F16 (or similar jet). But F16 is perfect plane for small European countries etc. It is cheap to fly, it has quick reaction, needs less logistical support etc. Perfect plane for air policing (not as perfect as MiG21, but that ship sailed).
Not only that these F16's are going to stay with USAF. But they will have second life after USAF get rid of them, whenever that is.
 
They'll get rid of them once laser weapons mature. Can't out run the speed of light! but... even then you need jets to "police" rouge aircraft, hijacked airliners...

Amazing how now we can literally strap on a jet engine on a refrigerator and watch it fly...
 
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Canada is flying 92 F-16's including 18 we picked up at a used jet-lot in Australia. Plans are to go at least another 12 years. Not sure if they get the full on upgrades.
laugh.gif
 
Originally Posted by double vanos
Ha ha! So say the Russians,"one can make a house fly with a big enough engine".....

MiG-21 is referred as "coffin" with an engine.
But from air policing purpose, nothing can get in air as fast as this thing from the moment order is given. The start up sequence is so simple and fast that F16 will be taxing by the time MiG-21 is already at 10,000ft.
That has nothing to do with the fact that plane is old, that air forces have to deal with Russian logistics (which is art in itself) etc. These air forces are not having these planes to defend their air space in case of some big war. They have a squadron or like Romania, several, and main purpose is air policing. You really do not need state of the art technology. Focus is on air defense and ground forces in the case of war. Croatia for example has 12 upgraded MiG-21, and they are well integrated into NATO air defense. Romania was patrolling the Baltics with their Lancer-R's.
So, F16 (like Romania did) is perfect replacement for this aircraft and F16 will be hottest used plane on the market as MiG-29 is not as good as MiG-21 and again, Russians.
 
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Canada is flying 92 F-16's including 18 we picked up at a used jet-lot in Australia. Plans are to go at least another 12 years. Not sure if they get the full on upgrades.
laugh.gif


F-16's? You mean F-18's.
 
Originally Posted by edyvw
Croatia for example has 12 upgraded MiG-21, and they are well integrated into NATO air defense. .

Dont forget that they tried to buy F16....but but (main reason behind nixing that deal) they are just not ready yet for spreading "democacry" in the Balkans...since they are high on a nacionalism after the Balkan wars...

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israe...oatia-nixed-over-washingtons-objections/
 
Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Canada is flying 92 F-16's including 18 we picked up at a used jet-lot in Australia. Plans are to go at least another 12 years. Not sure if they get the full on upgrades.
laugh.gif


F-16's? You mean F-18's.

Yes, thanks for the correction. Meant to type F-18. I believe they are getting some upgrades as well.
 
Originally Posted by Kamele0N
Originally Posted by edyvw
Croatia for example has 12 upgraded MiG-21, and they are well integrated into NATO air defense. .

Dont forget that they tried to buy F16....but but (main reason behind nixing that deal) they are just not ready yet for spreading "democacry" in the Balkans...since they are high on a nacionalism after the Balkan wars...

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israe...oatia-nixed-over-washingtons-objections/


The issue I see it is between US and Israel. Israel got those F16's as part of security assistance, but it is trying to make a buck now. Upgrades on those planes were also part of security assistance. I do not think that has to do anything with Croatian behavior or hugging Russia, but it should. They got 15 Kiowa's and 2 Blackhawks at the same time as security assistance.
 
Originally Posted by ragtoplvr
IN a war, they will rapidly run out of AAM weapons, and bullets are all we will have. So yes, they do matter from the cost to kill aspect.

Rod


Yep, the reason that the F-15, F-16, F-18 and F-22 all have a 20mm Gatling gun.

https://www.gd-ots.com/armaments/aircraft-guns-gun-systems/f-15e/

https://www.gd-ots.com/armaments/aircraft-guns-gun-systems/f-16/

https://www.gd-ots.com/armaments/aircraft-guns-gun-systems/f18-ef/

https://www.gd-ots.com/armaments/aircraft-guns-gun-systems/f22/

The F-35 uses a 25 mm Gatling gun.

https://www.gd-ots.com/armaments/aircraft-guns-gun-systems/gau22a/
 
Originally Posted by edyvw

The issue I see it is between US and Israel. Israel got those F16's as part of security assistance, but it is trying to make a buck now. Upgrades on those planes were also part of security assistance. I do not think that has to do anything with Croatian behavior or hugging Russia, but it should. They got 15 Kiowa's and 2 Blackhawks at the same time as security assistance.


Yes...thats show "for a public".......

Unofficially: https://borutsuklje.com/2019/01/11/predsednika-ki-sta-spregledala-ameriska-opozorila/

Croats are in a border/land conflict with every single country they border with.....additionally every now and then some general or military veteran go out public with some inappropriate comment about "how their army can and will" flaten their neighbours....
smile.gif


Luda kuÄa
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If there would be a conflict in Balkans again.....it had to be because of Croats (or Erdogan maybe???)
 
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Not to change the subject but I'm surprised with the age of the F-16 the Air Force could not get more F-22.

Lots of old F-16 sitting out in the dessert at Davis Monthan AFB.
 
Originally Posted by Mr Nice
Not to change the subject but I'm surprised with the age of the F-16 the Air Force could not get more F-22.


The F-35 program starting up killed the F-22. Not enough military funding for both. And some people making the big program decisions believed the F-35 would be cheaper per copy than the F-22.
 
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