What are the deference between F-16A/B, F-16C/D and F-16E/F?

[brahmastra]

What are the deference between F-16A/B, F-16C/D and F-16E/F?

I tried to know about it with the help of wikipedia.but I'm still confused about the radar and the weapon that they use in diferent verson of F-16.

PAF currently has 46 F-16A/B in the inventary and planning to buy more F-16C and F-16 D. source:wikipedia

pls, throw light in the different versions of F-16.

Regards.

 

[Lockheed F-16]

F-16A/B
The F-16A (single seat) and F-16B (two seat) were initially equipped with the Westinghouse AN/APG-66 pulse-doppler radar, Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan, rated at 14,670 lbf (64.9 kN) and 23,830 lbf (106.0 kN) with afterburner. The A and B variants include Blocks 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20. The USAF bought 674 F-16As and 121 F-16Bs, with delivery completed in March 1985. The F-16A/B had a unit cost of US$14.6 million (1992).

Early blocks (Block 1/5/10) featured relatively minor differences between each. Most were later upgraded to the Block 10 configuration in the early 1980s. Block 15 aircraft was the first major change in the F-16. It featured larger horizontal stabilizers, the addition of two hardpoints to the chin inlet, an improved AN/APG-66(V)2 radar, and increased capacity for the underwing hardpoints. Block 15 also gained the Have Quick II secure UHF radio. The horizontal stabilizers were enlarged by 30% to counter the additional weight of the new hardpoints. Block 15 is the most numerous variant of the F-16, with 983 produced.


USAF F-16CBlock 20 added some F-16C/D capability: Improved AN/APG-66(V)3 radar, carriage of AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-84 Harpoon, and AGM-88 HARM missiles, as well as the LANTIRN navigation and targeting pod. The Block 20 computers are significantly improved in comparison to that of the earlier versions. The Republic of China (Taiwan) received 150 F-16A/B Block 20 aircraft.


F-16C/D
F-16C (single seat) and F-16D (two seat) variants were introduced in service in 1984. The Block 25 was the first C/D block. It added all-weather capability with beyond-visual-range (BVR) AIM-7 and AIM-120 air-air missiles.[116] Block 25 introduced a substantial improvement in cockpit avionics, and improved AN/APG-68 radar. Block 25s were first delivered with the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 engine and later upgraded to the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E. A total of 209 Block 25 aircraft were delivered.[117] The F-16C/D had a unit cost of US$18.8 million (1998).


Three U.S. Air Force F-16 Block 30 aircraft fly in formation over South KoreaBlock 30/32 was the first block of F-16s affected by the Alternative Fighter Engine project under which aircraft were fitted with the traditional Pratt & Whitney engines or, for the first time, the General Electric F110-GE-100. From this point on, blocks ending in "0" (e.g., Block 30) are powered by GE, and blocks ending in "2" (e.g., Block 32) are fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines. The first Block 30 F-16 entered service in 1987. Major differences include the carriage of the AGM-45 Shrike, AGM-88 HARM, and the AIM-120 missiles. From Block 30D, aircraft were fitted with larger engine air intakes (called a Modular Common Inlet Duct) for the increased-thrust GE engine. A total of 733 Block 30/32 aircraft were produced and delivered to six countries.


An Egyptian Air Force F-16D Block 40Block 40/42 entered service in 1988. It is the improved all-day/all-weather strike variant equipped with LANTIRN pod; also unofficially designated the F-16CG/DG, the night capability gave rise to the name "Night Falcons". This block features strengthened and lengthened undercarriage for LANTIRN pods, an improved radar, and a GPS receiver. From 2002, the Block 40/42 increased the weapon range available to the aircraft including JDAM, AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) and the (Enhanced) EGBU-27 Paveway “bunker-buster”. A total of 615 Block 40/42 aircraft were delivered to 5 countries.

Block 50/52 F-16 was first delivered in late 1991; the aircraft are equipped with improved GPS/INS, and the aircraft can carry a further batch of advanced missiles: the AGM-88 HARM missile, JDAM, JSOW and WCMD. Block 50 aircraft are powered by the F110-GE-129 while the Block 52 jets use the F100-PW-229. Block 50/52 Plus (or 50/52+), which is also known as the "Advanced Block 50/52", was first delivered in April 2003 to the Hellenic Air Force. Its main differences are the addition of conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), APG-68(V9) radar, On-Board Oxygen Generation (OBOGS) system and JHMCS helmet.


F-16E/F
F-16E (single seat) and F-16F (two seat). Originally, the single-seat version of the General Dynamics F-16XL was to have been designated F-16E, with the twin-seat variant designated F-16F. This was sidelined by the Air Force's selection of the competing F-15E Strike Eagle in the Enhanced Tactical Fighter fly-off in 1984. The 'Block 60' designation had also previously been set aside in 1989 for the A-16, but this model was dropped.The F-16E/F designation now belongs to a special version developed especially for the United Arab Emirates, and is sometimes unofficially called the "Desert Falcon".


United Arab Emirates F-16 Block 60 taking off after taxiing out of the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth, TX (NAS Fort Worth JRB)Block 60 is based on the F-16C/D Block 50/52, it features improved radar and avionics and conformal fuel tanks; it has only been sold to the United Arab Emirates. At one time, this version was incorrectly thought to have been designated "F-16U". A major difference from previous blocks is the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-80 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which gives the airplane the capability to simultaneously track and destroy ground and air threats. The Block 60's General Electric F110-GE-132 engine is a development of the -129 model and is rated at 32,500 lbf (144 kN). The Block 60 allows the carriage of all Block 50/52-compatible weaponry as well as AIM-132 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) and the AGM-84E Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM). The CFTs provide an additional 450 US gallon (2,045 L) of fuel, allowing increased range or time on station and frees up hardpoints for weapons instead of underwing fuel tanks. The MIL-STD-1553 data bus is replaced by MIL-STD-1773 fiber-optic data bus which offers a 1000 times increase in data-handling capability. UAE funded the entire $3 billion Block 60 development costs, and in exchange will receive royalties if any of the Block 60 aircraft are sold to other nations. A press report stated that this is "the first time the US has sold a better aircraft[F-16] overseas than its own forces fly".The F-16E/F has a unit cost of US$26.9 million (2005).

 

[fatman17]

also check the sweet sixteen thread!

 

[brahmastra]

can you easily transfer F-16A/B to F-16C/D?
What do they mean by 'Block'?

 

[Patriot]

Yes, through MLU.PAF Block 10/15 will be upgraded to block 30 standards with MLU (AIM120 BVR Missile will be integrated with new radar, engine etc..)

 

[mean_bird]

Yes, through MLU.PAF Block 10/15 will be upgraded to block 30 standards with MLU (AIM120 BVR Missile will be integrated with new radar, engine etc..)

PAF F-16s will be brought up to blk 52 standard minus 3 things

1. there are no improvements to the Block 15s mission range and loiter time;
2. there are no engine improvements; and,
3. there are no improvements to payload capacity

It has other things that come with blk 52 like APG-68v9 radar, JHMCS, JDAM, AGM-84 Harpoon capability, etc

 

[maverick2009]

I may be wrong but F16 A/B have no BVR capability ..

This was a massibe weakness of PAF until the MLU prgramme was announced + additional order of 18 new F16 block 52.

 

[Arsalan]

I may be wrong but F16 A/B have no BVR capability ..

This was a massibe weakness of PAF until the MLU prgramme was announced + additional order of 18 new F16 block 52.

you are not,

pakistan lack BVR with there F16 block 15z,

it was said that before JF17 only a few mirage ROSE III were BVR but i also doubt it!
now the BVR future is upon JF17, J10 and the F16 MLU!

regards!

 

[brahmastra]

what F-16 super viper competing in MMRCA offers that other variant of F-16 donot offer?

 

[PakShaheen79]

It is known as Block-70 customized according to requirement of IAF.

s the deadline for India's biggest defence deal ever nears, Lockheed Martin unveiled a new upgraded version of its F-16 with "super cruise" capability and AESA radar.

The "super cruise" would give the fighter an extended range, and allows it to break trough the sound barrier without the use of fuel guzzling after-burners.

This supercruise capability is however a a reporting error that took on a life of its own in the Indian news media.

As the deadline for India's acquisition of 126 multi-role fighter aircrafts nears, Lockheed Martin has equipped the export version of the fighters, for the first time with Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) radars, as reportedly specified in the Indian Air Force's US$10 billion tender. The AESA radars give the F-16 capability to simultaneously track and destroy ground and air threats.

The AESA radar had been cleared before by the US government for installation in 80 F-16s ordered by the United Arab Emirates. India is now confident that a similar green signal would be given in their case.

The deal, awaiting clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security, would be the first direct military sale by a US company to India.

Speaking while unveiling the F-16IN, Lockheed Martin executive Chuck Artymovich said that the proposed fighter planes would also be armed with infra-red search and track pods as well as, counter-electronic warfare pods.

"The F-16IN is a complete new aircraft and totally caters to India's requirements and there could be no comparison with Block 50 and 60 fighters, being made for other countries," he said.

Besides the F-16, other major contenders for the contract include Boeing's F-18 Hornet, the Russian MiG-35, the French Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon offered by a consortium of European aerospace manufacturers and the Swedish Saab Gripen.

At the ceremony, Lockheed Martin executives said they had met all requirements proposed in the Indian Request For Proposals (RFP) without giving out any details of the contents, citing confidentiality.

They said that the company was prepared to meet the RFP requirements of offsets, and would do so in the field of aeronautics or for co-development of an Indian Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
http://www.f-16.net/news_article2698.html

 

[PakShaheen79]

A Image from Lockheed Martin website

The F-16IN Super Viper is part of the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition that is currently underway in India. The F-16IN is tailored exclusively to meet or exceed all of India's MMRCA requirements, and it is ready for integration into India's infrastructure and operations now. Evolutionary integration of technologies make the F-16IN the most advanced fourth generation fighter in the world today.
Aero India 2009 | Lockheed Martin