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The General-Dynamics F16 Falcon is an American single-engine, multi-purpose light fighter
and stormtrooper. Work on the F-16 project was started in 1971 by General Dynamics (which became part of Lockheed Martin in 1993), by entering
the competition for a light multi-purpose fighter (LWF) for the US Air Force. The YF-16 prototype flew on 2 February 1974. A breakthrough in
technical terms was the use of a computerized electric fly-by-wire control system, which made it possible to reduce the wing and tail area,
and thus reduce the weight of the entire aircraft. The F-16 was the first fighter in the world to use such a system. The first versions were
to a large extent made of aluminum alloys (about 83% of the total structure), but with time they gave way to composites. The different versions
of the F-16 are powered by three versions of the engines: Pratt-Whitney F-100-PW-200, General Electric F110-GE100 and Pratt-Whitney F-100-PW-2020.
Serial production of the F-16 began in 1975. It was also attended by European NATO countries for which it was an injection of new aviation technologies.
Final assembly was carried out in the USA, Belgium and the Netherlands. The first serial F-16A Fighting Falcon was flown on 7 August 1978. It is an
assault version of the F-16, intended primarily to counter ground targets. The F-16 also proved itself in combat, with a series of air victories in
the war in Lebanon (1982) and during the Operation Desert Storm (1991). There were six basic versions of the F-16, marked A, C, E (single-seater) and
B, D, F (two-seater). On the basis of these six models, numerous modernizations were created, most often associated with the replacement of avionics,
marked as "Block". The F-16 Block 72 was the latest version of the F-16 and was delivered to the Indonesian Air Force (IDAF). The F-16 Block 70/72,
combined advanced F-16 capability upgrades and structural upgrades. More than 4,585 F-16s have been produced for 28 customers.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the General Dynamics F-16C is F16
On 5 April 2019, the Minnesota Air National Guard 179th Fighter
Squadron/148th Fighter Wing' General Dynamics F-16C Block 50B Fighting Falcon "96-0081" was seen at Leeuwarden Air
Base (EHLW/LWR) during Frisian Flag 2019. The Minnesota Air National Guard 179th Fighter
Squadron/148th Fighter Wing is normally stationed at Duluth International Airport in Minnesota and
is equiped with F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcons. On 27 April 2010, the Minnesota ANG 148th Fighter Wing'
changed to the F-16C, starting with the arrival of three F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcons, including "96-0081"
from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, at the 148th Fighter Wing Air National Guard Base, Duluth, Minnesota.
With the arrival of these block 50 F-16s at the wing, the unit became the first Air National Guard
unit to convert to the block 50 aircraft from Active Duty Air Force. General Dynamics F-16CM-50-CF
Fighting Falcon msn CC-31 "96-0081" is one of ten Fighting Falcons of the Minnesota Air National Guard
(nicknamed “Bulldogs”) deployed to Europe and temporarily stationed at Leeuwarden AFB (EHLW/LWR). The U.S. Air Force deployed
not only ten F-16C Fighting Falcons of the “Bulldogs” but also a total of 24 pilots and 160 supporting airmen and
women to Leeuwarden AFB to participate in Frisian Flag 2019, a multinational exercise in the Netherlands. |
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