CSBA Paper: Trends in Air to Air Combat: Implications for Future Air Superiority

[jsport]

The F-16XL: This Advanced F-16 Variant Lost Out To The F-15E Strike Eagle, But Was It Better?

Only two were created, initially using production F-16A numbers 3 and 5. Those airframes were transformed into the world’s only two F-16XL.

avgeekery.com

It was found that a cranked-arrow wing shape would provide vastly increased lift without the usual limitations of a delta wing when paired with an F-16A fuselage.

The wing was swept back at a lower angle (50 degrees) near the root (for supersonic performance) and at a higher angle (70 degrees) outboard (for subsonic stability and handling). The surface area of the wings, 633 square feet, was more than double the wing surface area of a standard F-16A, but drag was reduced.

attributes assisting CAS mission performance

 

[jsport]

HERE'S WHY F-16'S CAS VARIANTS FAILED TO REPLACE THE A-10 WARTHOG - The Aviation Geek Club

HERE'S WHY F-16'S CAS VARIANTS FAILED TO REPLACE THE A-10 WARTHOG

theaviationgeekclub.com

updated technology can mitigate many of the problems discussed here in a new stealthier 5thG+ based on the F-16XL.