The F-16, or Fighting Falcon, is a world-renowned fighter aircraft. Also commonly called “Viper” by its pilots and crews due to its resemblance to a viper snake, it was originally produced for the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1973 by General Dynamics. In 1993, the manufacture of the F-16 switched to Lockheed Martin.
As a single-engine, multirole tactical fighter aircraft, the F-16 is much smaller and lighter than its predecessors. Through advanced aerodynamics and avionics, the F-16 manages to achieve enhanced maneuverability in a more compact package.
As of 2015, the F-16 is the most numerous fixed-wing aircraft in service in the world. It is in active duty in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, Air National Guard, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, and the U.S. Navy. The F-16 also serves in 23 other allied air forces. Thanks to planned upgrades from Lockheed Martin, as well as help from the USAF and partner nations, these fighter jets will likely be mission-ready until the 2060s or later.
To date, over 4,600 F-16s have been delivered to the U.S. and allied countries since their original production, and over 3,000 F-16s are still operational worldwide. Many nations still operate F-16s in their air forces, including Bahrain, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Philippines are waiting for deliveries. Japan also flies an F-16 variant called the F-2.
As global demand for the F-16 continues to grow, Lockheed’s Greenville, South Carolina, F-16 manufacturing and upgrade facility started building new F-16s while upgrading older versions. Lockheed received an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity $64.3-billion contract in January for the production of new F-16s. The updated aircraft will be the F-16 Block 70/72, which includes new radar, displays, conformal fuel tanks, and other improvements to keep it modern. They will also be upgrading over 1,000 jets in partner nations to the F-16V configuration.
It’s clear that this enduring fighter jet is here to stay. If you’re looking for ways to support aftermarket needs for F-16 and other military aircraft, consider AllClear Aerospace & Defense. AllClear provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) for over 25 military aircraft components, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
As one of the leading sources of F-16 Fighting Falcon sustainment solutions, AllClear offers F-16 military operators around the world access to original OEM parts, supplies, spares, repairs, and engineered products. Our agreements with leading F-16 OEMs like AMETEK, Aerosonic, Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Essex, Meggitt, PPG, Stauder, and others allow us to provide aircraft sustainment and modernization services.
AllClear customers depend on us to keep their F-16 fleets in the air safely by receiving exclusive OEM parts, so contact us today for your own customized aircraft solution.