F-16V Lightweight multi-role fighter

[Zarvan]

The Lockheed Martin F-16V is the latest variant of the F-16



Entered service ?
Crew 1 men
Dimensions and weight
Length ~ 15 m
Wing span ~ 10 m
Height ~ 5 m
Weight (empty) ~ 8.6 t
Weight (maximum take off) 12 ~ 19 t
Engines and performance
Engines 1 x Pratt & Whitney F110-GE-129 turbofan
Traction (dry / with afterburning) ~ 80 / 131.48 kN
Maximum speed ~ 2 120 km/h
Service ceiling ~ 15.2 km
Ferry range (with drop tanks) 4 215 km
Combat radius ~ 550 km
Armament
Cannon 1 x M61A1 20-mm cannon
Missiles AIM-120B, AIM-9L/M/P/X air-to-air missiles; AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles, AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-185 JASSM, AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, Kongsberg Penguin Mk.3 air-to-ship missiles
Bombs CBU-103/104/105, GBU-31/32 JDAM bombs, DASA DWS 39 gliding submunitions dispenser


In 2012 the US Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to upgrade a total of 145 F-16A and F-16B fighters operated by Taiwan's air force. The upgraded aircraft is known as the F-16V. Its unofficial nickname is the Viper due to the "V" letter in the designation. This lightweight multi-role fighter made its first flight in 2015. It is likely that Taiwan will be the first operator of this aircraft. In 2015 it was announced that Lockheed Martin will upgrade a total of 134 South Korea's KF-16fighters to the F-16V standard. The US Air Force also had intentions to upgrade its fleet of more than 1 000 F-16s as an interim measure, until theF-35 is fielded. As upgrading existing forth-generation fighters is far cheaper than buying new fifth-generation fighters.

The F-16V upgrade offers improved combat capabilities. It can be retrofitted to the previous F-16 aircraft, including the F-16E and F-16F. Also newly build F-16Vs are available.

Key element of the Viper upgrade is an advanced Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar. This new radar steers beams electronically and redirects them from one location to another. It has got no moving parts. The radar spreads signals over multiple radio frequencies, making them difficult to detect and jam. This technology allows the aircraft to remain stealthy. Similar AESA radars are found on the fifth-generation fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35.

The F-16V is compatible with AIM-9X air-to-air missiles. The Viper has a limited capability for air defense suppression missions. It can use AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles or JDAM bombs to attack enemy radar sites.

This aircraft can be fitted with a Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod. It provides target identification and autonomous tracking. This pod also generates GPS coordinates for precise weapon guidance from standoff ranges.

Electro-mechanical instruments in the cockpit were replaced by a central pedestal display, developed by Elbit Systems of America. The Viper aircraft also has an upgraded mission computer and some other mission system enhancements. The F-16V has a new datalink, that provides interoperability with F-22 and F-35 aircraft. This fighter also has an electronic warfare suite.

F-16V "Viper" Lightweight Multi-Role Fighter | Military-Today.com

 

[rashid.sarwar]

AESA and no Amraam ?

 

[Khafee]

AESA and no Amraam ?

Where did you pull that one out of?

The Lockheed Martin F-16V is the latest variant of the F-16



Entered service ?
Crew 1 men
Dimensions and weight
Length ~ 15 m
Wing span ~ 10 m
Height ~ 5 m
Weight (empty) ~ 8.6 t
Weight (maximum take off) 12 ~ 19 t
Engines and performance
Engines 1 x Pratt & Whitney F110-GE-129 turbofan
Traction (dry / with afterburning) ~ 80 / 131.48 kN
Maximum speed ~ 2 120 km/h
Service ceiling ~ 15.2 km
Ferry range (with drop tanks) 4 215 km
Combat radius ~ 550 km
Armament
Cannon 1 x M61A1 20-mm cannon
Missiles AIM-120B, AIM-9L/M/P/X air-to-air missiles; AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles, AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-185 JASSM, AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, Kongsberg Penguin Mk.3 air-to-ship missiles
Bombs CBU-103/104/105, GBU-31/32 JDAM bombs, DASA DWS 39 gliding submunitions dispenser


In 2012 the US Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to upgrade a total of 145 F-16A and F-16B fighters operated by Taiwan's air force. The upgraded aircraft is known as the F-16V. Its unofficial nickname is the Viper due to the "V" letter in the designation. This lightweight multi-role fighter made its first flight in 2015. It is likely that Taiwan will be the first operator of this aircraft. In 2015 it was announced that Lockheed Martin will upgrade a total of 134 South Korea's KF-16fighters to the F-16V standard. The US Air Force also had intentions to upgrade its fleet of more than 1 000 F-16s as an interim measure, until theF-35 is fielded. As upgrading existing forth-generation fighters is far cheaper than buying new fifth-generation fighters.

The F-16V upgrade offers improved combat capabilities. It can be retrofitted to the previous F-16 aircraft, including the F-16E and F-16F. Also newly build F-16Vs are available.

Key element of the Viper upgrade is an advanced Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) radar. This new radar steers beams electronically and redirects them from one location to another. It has got no moving parts. The radar spreads signals over multiple radio frequencies, making them difficult to detect and jam. This technology allows the aircraft to remain stealthy. Similar AESA radars are found on the fifth-generation fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35.

The F-16V is compatible with AIM-9X air-to-air missiles. The Viper has a limited capability for air defense suppression missions. It can use AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles or JDAM bombs to attack enemy radar sites.

This aircraft can be fitted with a Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pod. It provides target identification and autonomous tracking. This pod also generates GPS coordinates for precise weapon guidance from standoff ranges.

Electro-mechanical instruments in the cockpit were replaced by a central pedestal display, developed by Elbit Systems of America. The Viper aircraft also has an upgraded mission computer and some other mission system enhancements. The F-16V has a new datalink, that provides interoperability with F-22 and F-35 aircraft. This fighter also has an electronic warfare suite.

F-16V "Viper" Lightweight Multi-Role Fighter | Military-Today.com

Good. Now do one on the Blk 61, or better still the Blk62/63, that we are pushing for!

 

[rashid.sarwar]

Where did you pull that one out of?



"The F-16V is compatible with AIM-9X air-to-air missiles. The Viper has a limited capability for air defense suppression missions. It can use AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles or JDAM bombs to attack enemy radar sites. "

No mention of amraam.

 

[Khafee]

Don't you think it is counter-productive to come up with a new radar that cannot fire the longest range A2A missile in your arsenal?

 

[rashid.sarwar]

Don't you think it is counter-productive to come up with a new radar that cannot fire the longest range A2A missile in your arsenal?

Yes , that is why i am asking, the article only mentioned aim 9x, it should also have mentioned amraam 120d. or may be that it is an upgrade from A/B, since A/B have very limited support of amraam so the latest may also have no support.

Just a question...

 

[Khafee]

Yes , that is why i am asking, the article only mentioned aim 9x, it should also have mentioned amraam 120d. or may be that it is an upgrade from A/B, since A/B have very limited support of amraam so the latest may also have no support.

Just a question...

I'll put an end to your misery. The APG-83 is Amraam compatible.

 

[RAMPAGE]

I'll put an end to your misery. The APG-83 is Amraam compatible.

Sir, Have you any experience with AN APG 80? Do you think that its synthetic aperture radar imagery is a substitute for FLIR imagery?

 

[Khafee]

Sir, Have you any experience with AN APG 80? Do you think that its synthetic aperture radar imagery is a substitute for FLIR imagery?

Bro, you need to understand something, Radar stands for Radio Detection and Ranging. The AESA Radar you have quoted works in a passive / aggressive mode. FLIR or rather IRST is passive only. IT does not emit anything, it just sees, just like your eyes. Radar on the other hand emits, and receives radio waves, or just receives if it is on silent mode. The depth provided by SAR imagery cannot be matched by IRST, secondly IRST is used more for A2A modes than A2G modes.

 

[Desertfalcon]

Yes , that is why i am asking, the article only mentioned aim 9x, it should also have mentioned amraam 120d. or may be that it is an upgrade from A/B, since A/B have very limited support of amraam so the latest may also have no support.

Just a question...

It did mention it if you look at the specs. Listed is AIM-120B.

 

[RAMPAGE]

Bro, you need to understand something, Radar stands for Radio Detection and Ranging. The AESA Radar you have quoted works in a passive / aggressive mode. FLIR or rather IRST is passive only. IT does not emit anything, it just sees, just like your eyes. Radar on the other hand emits, and receives radio waves, or just receives if it is on silent mode.

I understand all that but you have not exactly answered my question

The depth provided by SAR imagery cannot be matched by IRST, secondly IRST is used more for A2A modes than A2G modes.

Does that mean that a fighter equipped with an APAR capable of SAR imaging can use its radar for ground reconnaissance instead of carrying a FLIR pod?

 

[Khafee]

Does that mean that a fighter equipped with an APAR capable of SAR imaging can use its radar for ground reconnaissance instead of carrying a FLIR pod?

Yes

 

[RAMPAGE]

Yes

One last question. Does F-16 block 60 have a built-in laser designator?

 

[Akasa]

Can anybody provide a quote on the flyaway unit cost?

This could drastically hurt the J-10C's export prospects, considering that the capabilities of the two platforms should be congruent, if LM can keep its price reasonable.

 

[Paksanity]

Can anybody provide a quote on the flyaway unit cost?

This could drastically hurt the J-10C's export prospects, considering that the capabilities of the two platforms should be congruent, if LM can keep its price reasonable.

J-10B /C export will get hurt most by F-35 production ramp up. Let me explain. F-35 will push into market a massive numbers of used F-16s available at a nominal cost. A country can pick up those, have them MLU'ed and upgrade them to V standards. There you have it a very very potent fighter at a price equal or perhaps lower than J-10C. New vs used argument also won't help as F-16s have at least twice the life of J-10s and MLU would enhance the life beyond that of new J-10. Factor in that F-16 spares are abundantly available vs J-10 which has only China as its sole supplier. Political and 'other' factors are not catered here and will vary from country to country.