Indonesia conducts maiden flight of upgraded F-16A

[Indos]

Indonesia conducts maiden flight of upgraded F-16A

By Greg Waldron20 February 2020


The Indonesian air force has conducted the maiden flight of an upgraded Lockheed Martin F-16A fighter.

The project involved Lockheed, air force technicians, and local contractor Indonesian Aerospace (also known as PTDI), the service says.

The jet (TS-1610) underwent Lockheed’s Falcon Star mid-life upgrade, which extends its service life to 8,000h, from 4,000h.

The air force says the upgrade also updated its avionics and radar.

Cirium fleets data shows that TS-1610 is 29.4 years old. Overall, 10 F-16A/B Block 15 aircraft will receive the upgrades.

In addition to its A/B-model examples, Jakarta operates 23 F-16C/Ds.

https://www.flightglobal.com/fixed-...aiden-flight-of-upgraded-f-16a/136842.article

 

[Indos]

A newly upgraded TNI AU F-16 fighter jet takes off for a test flight from the Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Magetan, East Java, on Tuesday. (Antara Photo/Siswowidodo)

Taking Off
BY :ANTARA PHOTO

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Lockheed Martin engineers conducted test flights for newly upgraded Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) F-16 fighter jets at the Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Magetan, East Java, on Tuesday. The upgrade to 10 of TNI AU's F-16 jets was carried out by TNI AU and Dirgantara Indonesia engineers under the supervision of Lockheed Martin.

https://jakartaglobe.id/vision/taking-off

https://jatim.idntimes.com/news/jat...6-si-elang-besi-penghuni-lanud-iswahjudi/full

There are only 2 Lockheed Martin engineers who supervise the work. The fact that the test pilot is from Lockheed Martin show the upgraded version might be more advanced then F 16 Block 52 that are already operated in Indonesia.

 

[SD 10]

A newly upgraded TNI AU F-16 fighter jet takes off for a test flight from the Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Magetan, East Java, on Tuesday. (Antara Photo/Siswowidodo)

Taking Off
BY :ANTARA PHOTO

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Lockheed Martin engineers conducted test flights for newly upgraded Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) F-16 fighter jets at the Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Magetan, East Java, on Tuesday. The upgrade to 10 of TNI AU's F-16 jets was carried out by TNI AU and Dirgantara Indonesia engineers under the supervision of Lockheed Martin.

https://jakartaglobe.id/vision/taking-off

https://jatim.idntimes.com/news/jat...6-si-elang-besi-penghuni-lanud-iswahjudi/full

There are only 2 Lockheed Martin engineers who supervise the work. The fact that the test pilot is from Lockheed Martin show the upgraded version might be more advanced then F 16 Block 52 that are already operated in Indonesia.

can you post specs of upgrade?

 

[AMRAAM]

"Jakarta operates 23 F-16C/Ds." :o :o

 

[Indos]

can you post specs of upgrade?

Air Force dont specify the avionics and radar upgrade. They just said both are upgraded and this previous block 15 according to Air Force Commander can launch AMRAAM, AIM 9X, and JDAM. Previously the plane can only launch older version of Sidewinder and also Maverick missile.

Look like similar with block 52 specs if we see what the plane can carry but it could be more than that since Indonesian pilots need to go to US for training before flying these jet. As current news reveal, there will be 4 Indonesian pilots undergo training in US before flying this plane. If they only upgraded the planes into block 52 so logically there will be no need to send the pilots to US since we have already 23 F 16 block 52 (some of them are double seats version) that can be used for training.

 

[Indos]

"Jakarta operates 23 F-16C/Ds." :o :o

The number IMO is quite enough for the mean time. If the MLU and upgrade program is finished which is expected in 2022 so there will another 10 comparable F16 fighters in our arsenal. Our Su 35 contract will also likely to be effective soon so there will be additional 11 fighters at least starting at 2022/23 period. Adding them with our 16 Su 32/27 so the number will be 60 fighters. This number is enough for us as we dont have immediate enemy/rival in the region. Not too mention around 24 Hawk 200, 15 T 50 Golden Eagle, and 16 Supertucano that can be used for ground attack role and also patrol.

The plan for 2024-2030 is to buy 50 KFX/IFX fighters if the program is successful and Indonesia is still inside the program (currently there is renegotiation going on) and hopefully economic condition also supportive for such acquisition.

 

[Indos]

can you post specs of upgrade?

Another one look like almost finished

https://twitter.com/x/status/1335191886181494785

 

[Whizzack]

So how many is completed now..? close to 3 - 4...? Hopefully they can pick up the pace and have all completed by the end of 2021 at the latest...

After this batch of block 15 is done, next is to upgrade the recently received block 52 ID (block 25 in reality)..

 

[Indos]

So how many is completed now..? close to 3 - 4...? Hopefully they can pick up the pace and have all completed by the end of 2021 at the latest...

After this batch of block 15 is done, next is to upgrade the recently received block 52 ID (block 25 in reality)..

I dont think F 16 block 25 can fire AIM 120 C 7 and AIM 9X-2

2015

Indonesia - AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

Indonesia – AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Missiles | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

 

[Whizzack]

I dont think F 16 block 25 can fire AIM 120 C 7 and AIM 9X-2

2015

Indonesia - AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

Indonesia – AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Missiles | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

Yes... I know we call it block 52 ID, but in reality it's just an upgraded block 25, and its capability is still far from real block 52 capability... even our eMLU block 15s is going to be more advanced than our block 52 ID...

 

[Whizzack]

More pics of the 3rd upgraded Falcon

https://twitter.com/x/status/1341001362406969345

 

[Indos]

Not yet being painted. Third F 16 OCU upgrade.

All F16 OCU upgrade (and refurbished) will be painted like this:

 

[Indos]

It gets painted now, but maybe it is the fourth one ?? @Whizzack

 

[Indos]

Indonesia will be quite strong if we can buy about 14 F 15 EX for 1.6 billion USD which budget has been approved. It means we will have around 63 fighters that can launch BVR missiles and have good ECM capability as well. I think this can be reached before next administration leave the office in November 2024.

Not to mention one F 15 EX I believe equals to double 4.5 generation fighter that currently present. So in term of capability Indonesian Air Force will have 77 fighters with BVR and ECM capability in 2024 if we chose F 15 EX.

 

[Indos]

Third MLU and upgrade F 16 photo