Agile F-16 Falcon

[hesham]

Hi,

General Dynamics studied the Agile F-16 Falcon project,the wing increased
about 25 %,from 300ft to 375ft.

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1987/1987%20-%201471.html?search=aircraft%201987

 

[KJ_Lesnick]

How would this have affected the F-16's top-speed, and high-speed maneuverability?


Kendra Lesnick

 

[sferrin]

How would this have affected the F-16's top-speed, and high-speed maneuverability?


Kendra Lesnick

A better place to ask would be F-16.net.

 

[Just call me Ray]

At the very least it would've required more power at speed based on larger wing = more lift = more drag

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Later F-16 was short on wing area and thrust due to weight growth. Higher thrust engines improved the T/W ratio but the wing loading could only be addressed with a new wing. I imagine it was decided it was unneccessary as F-15 was primary A/A asset while F-16 is primarily A/S tasked.

 

[LowObservable]

Agile Falcon was a response to 1987? directive from OSD to Mcs and GD, to look at improvements to F-16 and F-18. Mainly for export, intended to head off anticipated competition from Typhoon and Rafale, given that F-22 was not considered exportable. It was the start of the process that led to the Super Hornet, but the GD design never went anywhere. Nobody was in the market at the time, and the payoff compared with the investment was not that great. Not long after that, GD's future studies shifted to the delta-wing Falcon 21, which begat F-16U and which offered much more improvement, particularly in air-to-ground.

 

[starviking]

How would this have affected the F-16's top-speed, and high-speed maneuverability?


Kendra Lesnick

A better place to ask would be F-16.net.

Or even compare a F-16 with the Mitsubishi F-2 - it seems very similar in design to the Agile Falcon, having a 25% wing area increase over the F-16.

Starviking

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Sources:
GDFW This Week, Volume 1, Number 5, July 31, 1987
GDFW This Week, Volume 2, Number 29, July 22, 1988
Division Log, Number 7170, July 15, 1988

via https://texashistory.unt.edu

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

There's a somewhat dry thesis on the Agile Falcon with some interesting information in there.

https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a216305.pdf

The U.S. cancelled the Agile Falcon program by deciding not to fund the program past the predevelopment phase. The predevelopment of the Derivative Aircraft Program (Agile Falcon) concludes in December 1989. Paper studies including wind tunnel test data of the proposed configuration will be delivered to the USAF. However, the Mid-Life 45 Update program will continue with 75% of the kits procured intended for the EPGs with delivery beginning in 1996. During Agile Falcon negotiations with EPGs, the U.S. turned down proposals from Korea, Turkey, and Israel to participate in the Agile Falcon codevelopment program (39:1). Defense News reported on 5 June 1989 that DOD is interested in bringing the Agile Falcon back to life sometime in the future under the Japanese/U.S. FSX codevelopment program. The two aircraft designs are .very similar with both incorporating a large wing. It is possible an Agile Falcon/FSX hybrid could become the Block 80 F-16 configuration.

 

[F-2]

From Troubled partnership

 

[isayyo2]

So was the Agile Falcon/ MSIP IV program an actual retrofit for existing A/B models like the MLU program? Or was it a ploy for the European partners to buy new aircraft?

 

[F-2]

So was the Agile Falcon/ MSIP IV program an actual retrofit for existing A/B models like the MLU program? Or was it a ploy for the European partners to buy new aircraft?

Most of what I’ve read imply it would have been both. Upgrade for existing Vipers and also a new standard for sale.

 

[F-2]

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/42832219.pdf

 

[LMFS]

That increased wing design with an up to date engine would be a very nice option for the cheap 4.5G plane USAF talked about, if there was any reality to that story.

 

[F-2]

To any interested brits

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[RAP]

F-16 Agile Falcon model from GD, 1/40 scale.

 

[RAP]

Little bit more info.

 

[isayyo2]

Geez @RAP and @F-2 has got me feeling down. A big-wing AESA F-16 by the mid 90s? Plus a further growth option with the ATF's engine, such a lost opportunity.

 

[Keyboard Commando]

How would a notional big-wing ATF engined F-16 compare performance wise to later studies with full deltas like the Falcon-21 with a big F-22 style wing?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Big wing Agile Falcon would be better subsonically, Falcon-21 better at high speeds.