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The
General Dynamics (now Lockheed-Martin) F-16 incorporated many
advanced technologies during it’s development in the early
70’s that made the fighter one of the most maneuverable
fighters ever built. Some of the advances include: a blended
wing-body aerodynamics with forebody strakes, automatically
variable wing leading-edge flaps, fly-by-wire controls with
side stick controller, high g
tolerance/high visibility cockpit with a 30 degree
reclined seat and single –piece bubble canopy.
The F-16 was developed to replace the
McDonnell F-4 Phantom II
multi-role fighter in the active forces and to
modernize the reserve forces. A F-16A, a single-seat model
entered operational service initially with the Tactical Air Command’s 388th TFW at Hill AFB, UT
in January 1979. The last of
2,231 F-16 fighters built for the US Air Force (F-16C Block 50 - s/n
01-7053) was delivered on 24 March 2005 to the 79th Fighter Squadron of
the 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC.
The
F-16B, a two-seat model, has tandem cockpits that are about
the same size as the one in the A model. Its bubble canopy
extends to cover the second cockpit. To make room for the
second cockpit, the forward fuselage fuel tank and avionics
growth space were reduced. During training, the forward
cockpit is used by a student pilot with an instructor pilot in
the rear cockpit.
All
F-16s delivered since November 1981 have built-in structural
and wiring provisions and systems architecture that permit
expansion of the multirole flexibility to perform precision
strike, night attack and beyond-visual-range interception and
Wild Weasel missions. This improvement program led to the
F-16C and F-16D aircraft, which are the single- and two-place
counterparts to the F-16A/B, and incorporate the latest
cockpit control and display technology.
In
October 1986, the USAF announced that the F-16 had been chosen
over the Northrop
F-20
Tigershark to replace
F-106 & F-4's in use with 11 Air
National Guard Fighter–Interceptor Squadrons. Of the
original F-16 A/B’s 272 were modified to F-16 ADF
(Air Defense Fighter)
standards,
modifications include: radar upgrades (improved capability
against cruise missiles, improved ECCM, AIM-7 & AIM-120
capability additions), HF radio, IFF interrogator, flight data
recorder, GPS provisions, and a 250 watt, 150,000 candle-power
Identification light.
The
ADF-16
entered service with Oregon
ANG’s 114 TFTS on 1 February 1989
when the unit received
it's first "B" model (82-041) as a replacement for
it's F-4C Phantom II fighters.
McChord's
318th FIS was scheduled to convert from the McDonnell-Douglas
(now Boeing) F-15A/B Eagle into the ADF-16A/B during 1989 but
the squadron was deactivated before any F-16's arrived.
The
first operational
unit to receive
the ADF model was WADS's 194th FIS/
144th FIG, CA ANG in April of 1989. In mid 1989, other
squadrons, some of which revived their basic F-16A/B as long
as three years earlier, began sending their F-16's to Ogden
Air Logistics Center, UT for upgrade to the ADF standard. All
ADF modifications were complete by October 1991.
On
the morning of September 11, 2001 F-16's from North Dakota
ANG's Alert detachment at Langley AFB, VA were the first
fighters in the air to defend the Nations Capital during the Terrorist
attacks against America. After their arrival The
"Happy Hooligans" established history's first Combat Air
Patrol (CAP) over Washington D.C. This CAP would would be the
start of a operation that would later be named Noble
Eagle. Fighters flying in support of Operation Noble Eagle
flew
over
19,000 sorties over the U.S. and Canada between 2001 and 2002.
By contrast, only 147 sorties were flown as part of the
NORAD air defense mission during all of 2000.
Most of the remaining ADF F-16A/Bs
were retired and replaced
by F-16C/D by
2007. North
Dakota's 178FS, assigned to the Western Air Defense Sector is
the last squadron in the Air Force to fly the ADF version and
A/B model of the F-16. The "Happy Hooligans"
converted out of the F-16 in 2007, the unit will be one of the
Air National Guards first UCAV Squadrons. All other squadrons have converted
into the F-16C/D or other aircraft and/ or missions.
On
December 26, 2006 the Western Air Defense Sector
received
one of the three F-16's to fly over Washington D.C. and the Pentagon
after a five year campaign by McChord Air Museum Foundation
Member Ernest White to acquire the aircraft for display at the
Base. The aircraft, S/N 82-0929, was
flown to McChord with Brad Derrig at the controls. Col. Derrig,
a pilot with the North Dakota National Guard, was scrambled
out of units detachment at Langley, VA in F-16 -0929 and flew
the historic CAP mission during
September 11, 2001.*The implementation of the
MSIP Stage II changes in the F-16 production line, resulted in
the second generation of F-16 aircraft. Starting with Block
25, the F-16C and F-16D (as the one-seat and two-seat variant
designations).
The F-16C/D model featured
several upgrades over the A/B models among them being
modifications to the F-16's Radar and Fire control Systems,
new weapons capabilities, new radios and navigation systems,
and a maximum take-off weight increase to
43,300lbs. These improvement the Falcon's capability for BVR-engagements
and nighttime/precision ground attack missions. The F-16As
deficiencies in these mission profiles had been particularly
obvious in operations over Europe, where the weather is
generally bad much of the time.
Externally, the F-16C is almost
identical to the F-16A. The only significant external
difference is the introduction on the F-16C of an enlarged
triangular base or "island" on the rear fuselage
leading up to the vertical fin, with a small blade antenna
protruding upward from it. This extra space was originally
intended for the Airborne Self-Protection Jammer (ASPJ) that
is used on Navy aircraft which was never installed .
The
F-16 has been very successful international fighter,
over 1,800 to 20
nations.
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