F-16 Squadrons

Abstract

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the world's premier fixed-wing, high performance, single engine multi-mission fighter aircraft that comprises 45% of the AF fighter inventory. Operational since 1980, 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). The F-16 remains the USAF's primary SEAD/DEAD platform. The aircraft has evolved its capabilities by capitalizing upon advancements made in computers, avionics systems, engines, and structures technologies to meet emerging warfighter requirements and combat current and evolving enemy threats. These computer processing and avionics upgrades are critical to building a modernized architecture that promotes current open, agile, and digital concepts to enable future technological growth of the F-16's capabilities well into the 2040s. Furthermore, the F-16 provides the capacity called for in the NDS (National Defense Strategy) by supplying the USAF the highest readiness rates at the lowest operating costs of any US fighter. The F-16 programs listed below support the NDS's call to strengthen alliances by being the DoD's largest Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program servicing over 26 countries and growing. The funding described in this document directly maps to the NDS as it provides upgrades to the F-16 platform to enable the delivery of joint lethality in contested environments throughout the coming decades. The specific modification programs listed below directly contribute to accomplishing the mission objectives as described in the NDS. Modification programs include: Operational Flight Program (OFP) software (SW) development required to integrate new precision weapons, advanced targeting pods, improved avionics, and other hardware (HW) mods to meet the Home Land Defense (HLD) Mission, DoD mandates, and maintain updates on the respective F-16 training simulators, and other hardware subsystems; Engineering Manufacturing and Design (EMD) Hardware/Advanced capability improvements require 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; Modular Mission Computer (MMC) Upgrade/Display Generator Upgrade resolves shortfalls in mission computer memory and throughput brought on by the addition of incremental combat capability addresses cyber-security and includes Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE), design, development, integration, and ground/ flight test for fielding; F-16 Training Simulator updates enable the USAF to exercise/train using the most current F-16 OFP available to all block configurations, to include both aircrew and maintenance trainers; Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) on F-16 aircraft, and includes NRE, test assets, SEEK EAGLE, integration, and flight test; Comm Suite Radio Upgrade (CSU) improved satellite communication (SATCOM) radio upgrade with Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) capability to meet next-gen tactical narrow band SATCOM with better crypto capabilities; an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar capable on all blocks that offers enhanced lethality, advanced electronic protection capabilities, as well as, improved reliability and maintainability on F-16 aircraft; Multi-functional Information Distribution System-Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS-JTRS) provides a real-time, jam resistant and secure information system for the transfer of combat data, voice and navigation information between widely dispersed battle elements; Hybrid Flight Control Computer (HFLCC) Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS) development and integration prevents most controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents using terrain database and prediction algorithms for aircraft trajectory recovery and executes an automated fly-up maneuver to avoid collision; Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF-Mode5) on F-16 aircraft provides improved airspeed and location info to ground stations and other aircraft in the vicinity; Digital Radar Warning Receiver (DRWR) improves existing radar warning receiver performance and Electronic Warfare (EW) threat detection range, azimuth, detection time, and allows reduction of radio frequency compatibility (RFC) issues with other on board transmitters. M Code improves existing Embedded GPS/INS (EGI), providing an upgradeable, resilient, and reliable Positioning Navigation and Timing (PNT) system. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605831F. In FY20 $1.375M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY21 $2.490M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity 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.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2022
• Source ID: 672671_0207133F_7_3600_PB_2022

Tags

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering
• Aerospace Engineering.
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.

Technology Areas

• Cyber
• Directed Energy
• Microelectronics
• Space