Windjammer
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Good study of JHMCS used by PAF F-16 Pilots.
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They may still remain in service in small numbers but NOT frontline fighters. They only use the F-4 as an interceptor. Pakistan uses the F-7 as an interceptor but not as a frontline fighter."Main operators like Israel and Turkey are phasing them out."
Not sure then why turkey and USAF still flying them and still upgrading, it will be another two decade before they are completely replaced. Turkey and Greece still fly F4s
They may still remain in service in small numbers but NOT frontline fighters. They only use the F-4 as an interceptor. Pakistan uses the F-7 as an interceptor but not as a frontline fighter.
Absolute BS. The F-7 is now used less and less in interception and more evolved roles such as embedded escort for CAS , CAS and even FAC.They may still remain in service in small numbers but NOT frontline fighters. They only use the F-4 as an interceptor. Pakistan uses the F-7 as an interceptor but not as a frontline fighter.
Bismillah ir Rahman ar Raheem
Today, we are going to design some F-16 mission profiles to serve as benchmarks for other aircraft to be evaluated later. Please see the previous post for all caveats and assumptions.
Hifz u kum Allah
F-16 Combat Radius Evaluation Examples
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Mission Profile I - Combat Air Patrol [CAP] 200 nautical miles from base:
F-16A Block 15 (16,300 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Four AIM-9 Sidewinders
34,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
- 500 pounds taxi & takeoff
- 800 pounds climbout to 36,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 60 nautical miles
- 1,000 pounds cruise 140 nautical miles to CAP area
- 6,000 pounds stay on station for two hours and ten minutes
- 600 pounds five minutes dash to/from interception, jettisoning external tanks in case of combat and
- 1,300 pounds up to two minutes of afterburner combat @ 20,000 feet
- 800 pounds cruise up to 200 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
2 Hours 10 Minutes at 200 nautical miles from base
General Dynamics Stated Endurance for F-16A: 200 nautical miles + 2 hr 10 min CAP
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Four AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
39,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
- 600 pounds taxi & takeoff
- 900 pounds climbout to 33,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 50 nautical miles
- 1,200 pounds cruise 150 nautical miles to CAP area
- 5,100 pounds stay on station for one hour and thirty five minutes
- 700 pounds five minutes dash to/from interception, jettisoning external tanks in case of combat and
- 1,500 pounds up to two minutes of afterburner combat @ 20,000 feet
- 1,000 pounds cruise up to 200 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
1 Hour 35 Minutes at 200 nautical miles from base
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Mission Profile II - Short-Range Supersonic Interception (/Point Defence):
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Four AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
30,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
7,000 pounds [3,900 liters] fuel
- 1,000 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff in 1 minute
- 800 pounds afterburner-assisted climbout to 40,000 feet covering 10 nautical miles in 1.75 minutes
- 800 pounds accelerate to Mach 1.6 covering 23 nautical miles in 2 minutes
- 800 pounds supersonic cruise covering 17 nautical miles in 1.25 minute
- 100 pounds decelerate to subsonic covering 15 nautical miles in 1 minute
- 2,000 pounds up to five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 500 pounds climbout and cruise up to 80 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
65 nautical miles interception in 7 minutes
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Four AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
32,500 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
9,000 pounds [5,000 liters] fuel
- 1,000 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff in 1 minute
- 1,000 pounds afterburner-assisted climbout to 40,000 feet covering 15 nautical miles in 2 minutes
- Jettison Centerline Tank
- 1,000 pounds accelerate to Mach 1.6 covering 27 nautical miles in 2.25 minutes
- 2,200 pounds supersonic cruise, climbing to 45,000 feet and covering 55 nautical miles in 4 minutes
- 100 pounds decelerate to subsonic covering 15 nautical miles in 1 minute
- 2,000 pounds up to five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 700 pounds climbout and cruise up to 120 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
110 nautical miles interception in 10.25 minutes
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Four AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders - The Likely Configuration
36,500 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
12,000 pounds [6,700 liters] fuel
- 1,200 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff in 1 minute
- 1,000 pounds afterburner-assisted climbout to 35,000 feet covering 18 nautical miles in 2 minutes
- 1,800 pounds accelerate to Mach 1.6 covering 32 nautical miles in 3 minutes
- 1,000 pounds supersonic cruise, climbing to 40,000 feet and covering 20 nautical miles in 1.5 minutes
- Jettison Drop Tanks
- 3,000 pounds supersonic cruise, climbing to 45,000 feet covering 85 nautical miles in 6 minutes
- 100 pounds decelerate to subsonic covering 15 nautical miles in 1 minute
- 2,000 pounds up to five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 900 pounds climbout and cruise up to 160 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
170 nautical miles interception in 14.5 minutes
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Four AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
39,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
- 1,300 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff in 1 minute
- 1,100 pounds afterburner-assisted climbout to 35,000 feet covering 15 nautical miles in 2 minutes
- Jettison Centerline Tank
- 1,900 pounds accelerate to Mach 1.6 covering 32 nautical miles in 3 minutes
- 2,700 pounds supersonic cruise, climbing to 40,000 feet and covering 63 nautical miles in 4.5 minutes
- Jettison 370 Gallon Drop Tanks
- 2,700 pounds supersonic cruise, climbing to 45,000 feet and covering 77 nautical miles in 5.5 minutes
- 100 pounds decelerate to subsonic covering 15 nautical miles in 1 minute
- 2,000 pounds up to five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 1,200 pounds climbout and cruise up to 200 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
200 nautical miles interception in 17 minutes
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Mission Profile III - Long-Range Interception (/Air Superiority/Fighter Escort):
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Four AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
36,500 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
12,000 pounds [6,700 liters] fuel
- 500 pounds taxi & takeoff
- 900 pounds climbout to 33,000 feet covering 50 nautical miles
- 4,300 pounds cruise 600 nautical miles
- 2,000 pounds jettison tanks, up to five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 3,300 pounds climbout and cruise 600 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
600 nautical miles
General Dynamics Stated Range for YF-16/F-16A Air-Superiority Mission with Three Tanks & Four AIM-9s: 700+ nautical miles
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Mission Profile IV - Modern Medium Altitude Strike (Precision Strike/Battlefield Air Interdiction/Deep Air Interdiction):
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Navigation & Targeting Pods + Two 2400 pound Precision Guided Bombs + Two AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders - The Likely Configuration
41,500 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
12,000 pounds [6,700 liters] fuel
- 1,000 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff
- 1,400 pounds climbout to 29,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 70 nautical miles
- 3,800 pounds cruise 380 nautical miles to target
- 800 pounds five minutes high-subsonic combat @ 20,000 feet & climbout back to cruising altitude
- EITHER
a) 4,000 pounds bring back all drop tanks and bombs, cruising up to 500 nautical miles
OR
b) 1,500 pounds jettison tanks and bombs, and engage in up to two minutes of afterburner combat @ 20,000 feet
2,500 pounds cruise 450 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
450 nautical miles mission radius [minimum of 380+70, 500, 450]
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Navigation & Targeting Pods + Two 2400 pound Precision Guided Bombs + Two AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
44,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
- 1,100 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff
- 1,300 pounds climbout to 26,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 60 nautical miles
- 5,000 pounds cruise 450 nautical miles to target
- 800 pounds five minutes high-subsonic combat @ 20,000 feet & climbout back to cruising altitude
- EITHER
a) 4,800 pounds bring back all drop tanks and bombs, cruising up to 520 nautical miles
OR
b) 1,500 pounds jettison tanks and bombs, and engage in up to two minutes of afterburner combat @ 20,000 feet
3,300 pounds cruise up to 580 nautical miles back to base
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
510 nautical miles mission radius [minimum of 450+60, 520, 580]
USAF Stated Range for F-16C Strike Mission (unspecified payload): 500 miles combat radius
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Mission Profile V - Classic Long-Range Hi-Lo-Hi Strike (Deep Interdiction):
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Navigation & Targeting Pods + Two 2400 pound Precision Guided Bombs + Two AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
44,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
- 1,100 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff
- 1,300 pounds climbout to 26,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 60 nautical miles
- 4,600 pounds cruise 440 nautical miles, jettisoning drop tanks when empty
- 600 pounds cruise and descend to sea level 70 nautical miles
- 700 pounds 50 nautical miles low-level cruise to target
- 400 pounds afterburner use over target (jettison bombs if target not found)
- 800 pounds 50 nautical miles climbout back from target
- 3,500 pounds cruise back up to 580 nautical miles
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
620 nautical miles mission radius
F-16A Block 5 (15,600 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Two 2000 pound Bombs + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
37,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
General Dynamics Stated Range: 740 nautical miles mission radius
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Mission Profile VI - Classic Long-Range Hi-Hi Strike (Deep Interdiction):
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + 300 Gallon Centerline Drop Tank + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Navigation & Targeting Pods + Two 2400 pound Precision Guided Bombs + Two AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
44,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
14,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
- 1,100 pounds taxi & afterburner-assisted takeoff
- 1,300 pounds climbout to 26,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 60 nautical miles
- 4,800 pounds cruise 460 nautical miles, jettisoning drop tanks when empty
- 1,200 pounds cruise 150 nautical miles to target (jettison bombs if target not found)
- 700 pounds afterburner use over target
- 3,900 pounds cruise back up to 680 nautical miles
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
670 nautical miles mission radius
F-16A Block 5 (15,600 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Two 2000 pounds Bombs + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
34,500 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
12,000 pounds [7,800 liters] fuel
General Dynamics Stated Range: 810 nautical miles mission radius
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Mission Profile VII - Close Air Support [CAS]:
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Navigation & Targeting Pods + Four 600 pound Precision Guided Bombs + Two AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
39,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
12,000 pounds [6,700 liters] fuel
- 600 pounds taxi & takeoff
- 1,300 pounds climbout to 31,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 70 nautical miles
- 2,400 pounds cruise 230 nautical miles to target
- 3,700 pounds 25 minutes loiter + five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 3,000 pounds bring back all drop tanks and bombs, climbout & cruise up to 350 nautical miles
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
30 minutes combat endurance 300 nautical miles from base
(or 1 Hour at 200 nautical miles from base)
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Mission Profile VIII - Suppression of Enemy Air Defences [SEAD]:
F-16C Block 50/52 (19,700 pounds Aircraft Empty Weight)
Internal Fuel + Two 370 Gallon Drop Tanks + Electronic CounterMeasures [ECM] Pod + One HARM Anti-Radiation Missile + Two 500 pound Bombs + Two AIM-120 AMRAAM + Two AIM-9 Sidewinders
39,000 pounds Takeoff Weight [TOW]
12,000 pounds [6,700 liters] fuel
- 600 pounds taxi & takeoff
- 1,300 pounds climbout to 31,000 feet initial cruising altitude covering 70 nautical miles
- 2,400 pounds cruise 230 nautical miles to target
- 3,700 pounds 25 minutes loiter + five minutes combat (including two minutes in afterburner) @ 20,000 feet
- 3,000 pounds bring back all drop tanks and bombs, climbout & cruise up to 350 nautical miles
- 1,000 pounds reserves for 20 minutes Sea Level Loiter or 200 nautical miles Divert
30 minutes combat endurance 300 nautical miles from base
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Notes:
1. Warmer than standard Temperatures at Cruising Altitude may reduce range slightly (usually 1% to 2%, but up to 10% for some portions of flight).
2. Afterburner (A/B) assisted takeoffs (where not explicitly mentioned) require additional 500-800 pounds fuel reducing combat radius by @ 50 nautical miles. In practice, unless range is absolutely important, Afterburners are likely to be used when carrying more than just a Centerline Drop Tank, in order to shorten takeoff distances.
3. Not being able to cruise at optimum altitudes/airspeeds for some portions of flight may reduce combat radius by 25-100 nautical miles.
4. Headwinds encountered during some portions of flight may reduce combat radius by 25-100 nautical miles.
5. It is rarely possible to fly in a straight line or at optimum speeds/altitudes to and from the target. To avoid enemy aircraft and defenses, the routes and altitudes selected usually decrease actual mission radius (if defined by straight-line distance from base to target) to 70-80% of the flying distances calculated above.
6. Every Two miles of sea-level cruise consumes as much fuel as Three miles of cruise at optimum alitude (or even Four miles of optimum cruise, if flying at lighter aircraft weights).
7. Every Two miles of high-subsonic dash at sea-level (@ 480 nautical miles per hour [knots]) consumes as much fuel as Four miles of sea-level optimum cruise (usually 330-390 knots).
8. Every Two miles of high-subsonic dash at medium-high altitude (@ 540 knots) consumes as much fuel as Three to Four miles of optimum cruise (usually 440-480 knots) at optimum alitude.
9. Every minute of afterburner use at medium-high altitude consumes as much fuel as 20 to 10 minutes of optimum cruise. One minute of Maximum Afterburner at sea-level may consume fuel equivalent to 40 minutes of optimum-altitude cruise back to base.
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Units:
One Nautical Mile [nm.] = 6080 Feet [ft.] = 1.15 Statute Miles [mi.] = @ 1.85 Kilometers [km.]
One Pound [lb.] = @ 0.4535 Kilograms [kg.]; One Kilogram = 2.205 Pounds
1,000 Pound-Force [lbf.] Thrust = @ 4,450 Newtons = 4.45 Kilo-Newtons [kN.] Thrust
Kilograms are units of mass and the term Kilogram-Force [kgf.] is meaningless.
One US Gallon = 3.785 Liters = @ 6.84 pounds JP-8 fuel; One Imperial Gallon = 4.54 Liters; One Liter = @ 0.82 Kilogram JP-8
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New Recruit
Bismillah ir Rahman ar RaheemHi,
So---you are just a !!!!!!---what did you say you do!
Please share a similar scenario where an aircraft takes off on different weapons load---minimal fuel and then gets topped of by an air to air refueler right after take off.
What would that do to the loiter time---.
Where is the study ??