USAF spells out F-16 upgrade program

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"USAF spells out F-16 upgrade program--sticks with Lockheed as prime"

By
Dave Majumdar
on August 30, 2012 4:32 PM
The US Air Force has spelled out its plans to upgrade 300 of its newest Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters. The USAF considers the upgrade program a stopgap measure resulting from delays to the stealthy Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Nonetheless, the modified F-16 will be a capable warplane--the USAF wants a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a new center display and it's adding an ALQ-213 electronic warfare system. The service hasn't picked which AESA set just yet--it'll be a toss-up between the Raytheon Advanced Combat Radar and the Northrop Grumman Scalable Agile Beam Radar. A competition is expected soon...

All this was previously known, but we'd only really heard it from potential contractors. The USAF is going to stick with original equipment manufacturer Lockheed Martin for the prime integration contract, which might be a disappointment to BAE Systems and Boeing.

BAE was recently picked for the South Korean F-16 upgrade contract for 130 jets. It also previously had some success in upgrading Turkish Vipers and older USAF Air National Guard F-16s.

Next up, comes the battle to supply upgrades to Taiwan's 146 F-16A Block 20 jets reportedly worth around $3.7 billion. BAE and Lockheed will duke it out for that contract at some point in the relatively near future. Lockheed already has a leg up on that competition...

In July, the Taiwanese state-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation signed an agreement with Lockheed to help facilitate the F-16 upgrade program. The USAF's decision to stick with Lockheed can only help the company's case...

And then there is still the outside chance Taiwan may yet be allowed to buy 66 new F-16s...

Source:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2012/08/usaf-spells-out-f-16-upgrade-p.html
 
At the rate they have been manufactured along with all the upgrades and the delivery in 2014-16(or 17?) for new build F-16s for Iraq along with possible orders in the years ahead from the new Libyan Govt, should we expect to see Facons flying to the 2050s or even later?

Dang the future is going to be kind of odd tech wise, we may end up having AIs, sub-orbital transports & tourism along with LEO space industry and mining our first asteroids. At the same time people will still be flying everything from good old Cessnas to 6th-7th generation fighters.
 
In relation to the Iraqi F-16s: http://stories.dlvr.it/story/114575

(Business Wire) L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced today that its Link Simulation & Training (L-3 Link) division has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, to build two F-16 Block 52 Full Mission Trainers (FMTs) for the Iraqi Air Force.

“L-3 is focused on diversifying our business, both internationally and commercially, and this award further demonstrates our commitment to that strategy,” said Steve Kantor, president of L-3’s Electronic Systems Group. “We have long been a leader in military simulation and training, and this is our first-ever military simulator sale to Iraq.”

The F-16 Block 52 FMTs, being built at L-3’s Arlington, Texas facility, will incorporate the company’s HD World® integrated simulation product line. High-definition databases, image generators, SimuSphere HD-9™ visual displays and physics-based processing technology will produce highly realistic and relevant fighter training environments within a geo-specific visual system database of Iraq.

The FMTs will incorporate L-3’s simulated Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, enabling pilots to view flight information wherever they turn their head while conducting a flight. This simulation capability will allow pilots to practice control of aircraft targeting systems and sensors.
 
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/01/19/lockheed-keeps-f-16-production-line-going-with-bahrain-deal/
 
Archibald said:
Will the F-16 beat the 5000th mark, and the Phantom production run ?
5000 seems like an outside shot but possible, 5200 seems pretty unlikely.
 
Would you count the Mitsubishi F-2? That's 98 airframes based pretty directly on the F-16.
 
Archibald said:
Will the F-16 beat the 5000th mark, and the Phantom production run ?

Amazing if it does. During the Phantom heyday there wasn't much else out there as there is today with the Saab, Rafael, Typhoon. Personally I loved the phantom the first time laid eyes on it, and then I saw it fly a demo... Wow! Wow! Would be nice if the phantom remains undefeated by the 16. A totally modern phantom with engines and avionics and of course missiles would still be a tough cookie today. Still the most beautiful USAF fighter ever (and USMC)
 
I love the look of the Phantom but I don't know if I'd call it beautiful. Wasn't there a saying about the Phantom only being able to fly because the ground was repulsed by how ugly it was?
 
Colonial-Marine said:
I love the look of the Phantom but I don't know if I'd call it beautiful. Wasn't there a saying about the Phantom only being able to fly because the ground was repulsed by how ugly it was?

That's a funny anecdote. :)
 
I read that this week and was confused. Was this not the case with the old F-16C that export nations were picking up a stock fighter off the shelf. I always thought it was developments like the Block 60 development for the UAE that really kick-started the drive for customised F-16s and the growing desire for the buyers to get some of their indigenous kit onboard.

I suppose this could be aimed at the lower end of the market, a cheaper F-16 to replace the last F-5s, Mirages etc. around the world for nations that can't normally afford to buy anything other than reconditioned airframes from surplus stocks.
 

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