F-16 Squadrons

Abstract

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the world's premier multi-mission fighter. It is a fixed-wing, high performance, single-engine fighter aircraft. In its 35-year history, the F-16 has proven itself in combat in a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface missions such as offensive and defensive counter-air, close air support, forward air control, air interdiction (day/night and all-weather) and suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD)/destruction of enemy air defenses (DEAD). Also during these years the aircraft has evolved in its capabilities to exploit the advances made in computer, avionics systems, engine, and structures technologies. The F-16 has been selected by more than 20 air forces around the world and foreign military sales production continues in the 21st century. AFLCMC/WWM (The F-16 System Program Office) develops, integrates, and qualifies systems to enhance the overall performance of the F-16 mission. Enhancements which are being or will be developed during the Five Year Defense Plan (FYDP) include: a. Operational Flight Program (OFP) Development: Blk 40-52 OFP (M-tapes) are updated continually to integrate new precision weapons, advanced targeting pods, improved avionics, hardware and software mods to keep F-16 training simulators current, and other hardware (HW) Group B subsystems. Major tapes (e.g., M6/6+) are released every three years and a minor tape (e.g., M6.2+) is released 1 year after each major tape. The European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) countries participate in the development of M-tapes and share the cost of developing common capabilities and totally fund development of their unique capabilities. Generally, three major or minor tapes are under development/testing at any one time. Extensive ground and flight testing is required to field each M-tape. Advanced weapons integration includes joint air-to-surface stand-off missile (JASSM) and joint direct attack munitions (JDAM, Laser JDAM), small diameter bomb (SDB and SDB II), advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) AIM-120D, Sidewinder (AIM-9X/AIM-9X Block II), and updates to existing weapons. JASSM-ER (Extended Range) integrates JASSM-ER on F-16 Blk 40-50 aircraft, includes NRE, SEEK EAGLE, test assets, integration, and test. Weapons integration also includes tasks such as performing risk reduction activities on advanced weapon integration, developing and integrating advanced racks, pylons, adapters, and the universal armament interface (UAI), and ensuring nuclear surety, safety and compatibility. Updates to electronic warfare systems allow for incorporation of latest updates for changing threat environment reducing war fighter vulnerabilities. Link 16 provides the F-16s with a secure, jam resistant, high-capacity data communications link with other combat aircraft, airborne control aircraft, and ground control centers. Major new capabilities currently being integrated via M-tapes include GPS inertial navigation set (GPS/INS) updates to improve targeting accuracy and GPS security, EGBU-12 (laser/GPS guided bomb), Mode 5 identification friend or foe (IFF), SDB with UAI, AIM-120D, joint mission planning system (JMPS), and Alpha II Lite. As part of OFP transition and M6.5/M7+ OFP upgrade, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (LM Aero) and Ogden Air Logistics Center will split responsibility for software development. LM Aero will produce the common USAF/EPAF core software tape for USAF M6.5+ and serve as the baseline for the USAF M7+ OFP. OO-ALC will have software development responsibility for the M7+ software/hardware candidates being incorporated on USAF jets with M7+ Phase III OFP development scheduled to field in FY16. M8+ will be the initial CAPES OFP. b. F-16 Blk 40-52 Legacy SLEP structures: includes full scale durability test (FSDT) which requires a test fixture and structural analysis to begin structural testing. The test fixture began fabrication in FY11. FSDT is intended to determine whether the F-16 Block 40-52 airworthiness certification can be extended from the current certified service life of 8,000 equivalent flight hours (EFH) to 10,000+ EFH. In accordance with the Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP) and MIL-STD 1530C, testing will support Blk 40-52 structural upgrade program that replaces or reworks known life-limited structure to preclude the onset of widespread fatigue damage, maintain safety of flight and enhance aircraft availability beyond 8,000 hours. Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) extends through FY16. c. F-16 Blk 40-52 Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite (CAPES): This avionics modernization program is needed to keep the F-16 Blk 40-52 aircraft viable in the threat environment beyond 2025. It includes but is not limited to an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar that offers improved destruction of enemy air defenses (DEAD), and advanced electronic protection capabilities as well as improved reliability and maintainability; center display unit (CDU), which replaces the existing flight instrument cluster with a large higher resolution color multi-function display; electronic warfare suite (EW), which provides a single-point access for automated or hands-on EW system control; and an integrated broadcast service (IBS) that integrates multiple intelligence broadcasts into a system of systems and migrates tactical receive terminals into a single related joint tactical terminal (JTT) family and modular mission computer (MMC) throughput memory upgrades, high speed data communications within the aircraft systems. FY12 risk reduction funding was available as part of SLEP avionics to initiate this capability modernization. d. Auto ground collision avoidance system (AGCAS) builds on the Air Force research laboratories (AFRL) fighter risk reduction program (FRRP) demonstrated capability and results in the AGCAS capability being production ready for incorporation in the M6.2+ OFP fielding in FY14 with potential for nearly eliminating controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents, a leading cause of F-16 loss of pilot and aircraft accidents. e. EMD hardware/advanced capability improvements: EMD HW provides funding to develop, test, and qualify, weapon systems, aircraft subsystems replaced or modified due to requirements changes, pre-planned product improvements (P3I), diminishing manufacturing sources (DMS) and parts obsolescence. The approach to contracting varies by individual project. These hardware improvements include but are not limited to flight systems, improved navigation, multiplex architecture, modular mission computer (MMC) throughput memory upgrades, high speed data communications within the aircraft systems, embedded GPS inertial navigation set (GPS/INS) updates, Blk 40 air-to-air interrogator (AAI), digital video recorder, advanced data transfer equipment (ADTE) and related data transfer and retrieval devices, display upgrades and display generators, radio/communication studies, and Control Actuation System (CAS) data link. Advanced capability improvements include software integration, sensor upgrades, radar updates and other self-protection/electronic protection (EP) enhancements, 4th/5th gen fighter network communications, lab and/or on-aircraft evaluation of potential subsystem changes/capability improvements on the F-16 as well as establishment of associated requirement specification changes. These capability improvements also fund integration of pods including updates and tech order changes (SNIPER, Harm targeting system (HTS), low (altitude) infrared targeting and navigating (LITENING)) etc. Advanced capabilities also includes integration of new replacement DMS hardware for a crash survivable data recorder. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because it includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

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Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
Source ID: 0207133F_7_3600_PB_2014
Change Summary Explanation: FY14 reduction for CAPES of -$84.8M FY14 increase for Legacy SLEP of +$6.2M
Service Agency Name: Air Force

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F-16 Squadrons

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