F-16 Fighting Falcon: Multirole Fighter Jet

Hear from Lockheed Martin Test Pilot, Monessa "Siren" Balzhiser, on flying the F-16.

 

 

Ready then, ready now, ahead of ready for what’s to come.
 

Transforming  4th Generation for the next generation with the newest and most advanced F-16.
 

Meet the Block 70/72 Fighting Falcon.

F-16
Built Upon 5 Decades of a Proven and Powerful Legacy
 
Manufacturing of an F-16
Now Produced in Greenville, South Carolina
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Global Partnerships: 3,100 F-16s Across 27 Countries
F-16 Flying
New, Advanced and Unmatched Capabilities
F-16 in the dark


New, Advanced and Unmatched Capabilities

Today’s F-16 –the Block 70/72 –is the most advanced 4th generation fighter ever built and brings a new level of capability to air forces around the world.

Advanced Radar

Northrop Grumman’s advanced APG-83 AESA radar provides the Block 70/72 with 5th Generation fighter radar capabilities by leveraging hardware and software commonality with F-22 and F-35 AESA radars. It delivers greater situational awareness, flexibility and quicker all-weather targeting and provides pilots with unprecedented target area detail and digital map displays that can be tailored with slew and zoom features. 

F-16 Front View
F-16 Cockpit

Enhanced Battlespace Awareness

The Block 70/72 features a new, high resolution Center Pedestal Display (CPD), which provides critical tactical imagery to pilots and allows them to take full advantage of AESA and targeting pod data. The new CPD enables color moving maps, larger and easier to manage air-to-air Situation Displays, zoom functionality with the ability to switch information among displays, digital display of Flight Instrument Data, and a color/night helmet mounted display. Additional integration of the Lockheed Martin Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod and Legion-ES™ IRST system increase pilot situational awareness and enhance warfighter survivability. 

Saving Tomorrow’s Pilots

Developed by Lockheed Martin, the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS) was purpose-built to prevent deadly crashes and has already saved the lives of multiple pilots and F-16s since the system entered service with the U.S. Air Force in late 2014. The Auto GCAS is designed to reduce incidents of what is known as controlled flight into terrain, or CFIT. According to U.S. Air Force statistics, CFIT incidents account for 26 percent of aircraft losses and a staggering 75 percent of all F-16 pilot fatalities.

F-16 Pilot
F-21

Unmatched Weapon Integration

Lockheed Martin has more than 36 years of weapon integration experience with the F-16 – enabling it to be one of the most versatile multirole fighters ever. No one else can match this weapons integration experience. In concert with the U.S. Air Force and multiple F-16 Foreign Military Sales customers, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3,300 carriage and release configurations for greater than 180 weapon and store types. 

Extended Structural Capabilities  

The Block 70/72 has an industry-leading extended structural life to 12,000 hours - more than 50 percent beyond that of previous production F-16 aircraft. That means a highly reliable, readily maintainable jet of at least 40 years of service life for most air forces, with no expected extended structural repairs throughout that entire lifetime. The conformal fuel tanks provide increased fuel and added range, without sacrificing the aerodynamic performance of the jet, along with an improved performance engine.  

F-16 Manufacturing
F-16 Marketing Shot

Integrated Supply Chain Partnerships

The F-16 has more than 600 suppliers around the world. As an example, the US18E Ejection Seat from Martin-Baker introduces 5th Generation escape performance to the F-16. The seat includes a Martin-Baker Electronic Sequencer, Neck Protection Device & Head Support Panel with an IGQ6000 larger diameter parachute, as well as a modular design for easier maintenance and lower lifecycle cost.  Learn more

 

New production F-16s leverage structural and capability upgrades that ensure the international F-16 fleet can operate to 2060 and beyond. 

 
F-16 Marketing Shot
Behind the Wings of the F-16   ___
 
For the past 50 years, our employees have been the driving force behind the F-16's success. Go Behind the Wings of the F-16 with a few of our Greenville, South Carolina team members who play a critical role in overseeing the production of the jets from start to finish.

Behind the Wings of the F-16 | Industrial Engineer

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Behind the Wings of the F-16 | Avionics Technician

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Behind the Wings of the F-16 | Sustainment Project Engineer

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Behind the Wings of the F-16 | Completion Supervisor

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F-16 in the News   ___
Sep 19, 2024
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Seeker's experience with the F-16 includes 35 years of flying and teaching, including time spent training pilots from the Royal Thai Air Force.
Aug 27, 2024
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For 40 years, Lockheed Martin has proudly called Greenville, South Carolina home, embedding deep local roots while contributing to global security.
Aug 26, 2024
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Built on a strong legacy of keeping mission-critical assets flying longer, Lockheed Martin has proudly called South Carolina home for 35 years.
 
CONTACTS   ___

 

Media Contacts:                            

Liz Lutz                                       
817-223-4752