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The Viper
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the US and allied nations.
In an air combat role, the F-16’s maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay, fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions.
The F-16, the most successful fighter aircraft ever built
The first operational F-16A was delivered in January 1979 to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
The F-16 was built under an unusual agreement creating a consortium between the United States and four NATO countries: Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. These countries jointly produced with the United States an initial 348 F-16s for their air forces.
With about 4,600 F-16s delivered to over 25 countries, the Viper is one of the world’s most prolific fighter aircraft. More than 3,000 F-16 fighters are currently operational worldwide.
F-16 fighter jets were received by a number of countries including Bahrain, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, South Korea, Oman, Chile, and Poland.
For all these reasons as David Tussey, former US Navy A-7E Corsair II pilot, explains on Quora the F-16 is the most successful fighter aircraft ever built.
‘“Successful” can mean many things to different people. My vote is for the General Dynamics F-16 (now Lockheed).
F-16 vs F-4 Minimum Turn Radius
‘Successful because:
1) it set a new bar for aerodynamic performance, an order of magnitude beyond other jet aircraft at the time, and
2) it enjoyed broad popularity, continual upgrades, and remains the gold standard by which all modern aircraft are judged (“Is it as good as the F-16?”)
‘It’s hard to capture how dramatic the aerodynamic improvements were for the YF-16 (and YF-17). [As the famed photo below shows] The USAF would demonstrate the F-16 alongside an F-4, which was a beast in its own right. The F-16 made it look like the F-4 was a woolly mammoth. And then not only did the USAF buy thousands, but so did dozens of other countries. Huge success. And continual upgrades have kept the F-16 competitive. So yeah…successful.
‘F-16 vs F-4 max performance turn. I once saw this performed live. Stunning.’
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
