Well, yeah…the P-51 didn’t have radar, so obviously it’s not needed for A2A. :) Although that falls flat w the F-82 and F4U, but maybe John didn’t get that memo.
@@ronjon7942 LOL dude John Boyd worked on the design of the F-15 he knew all about the trade-offs of radar technology at the time. The LWF YF-16 was optimized towards its intended role of being a point defence fighter. Meaning ground radar would pick up incoming enemies and the F-16 would take off and be guided towards the enemy by ground radar, using its small size and lack of search radar to achieve surprise. The reason for designing such a "simple" aircraft being the overwhelming numerical majority the Soviets had which the US needed to counterbalance.
The viper is a very good aircraft. It's light ,maneuverable ,fast and really was the backbone of the air force. They need to keep and upgrade a bunch of them
While the APG-83 is a huge upgrade for the older F-16, it's getting a little old itself. It's based on Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) based transmitter circuits (MMICs.) Newer AESA radars are based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) MMICs. The USAF is developing the APG-85 for newer F-35s. They should build an F-16 upgrade radar based on that.
@@LeonAust I need some of them. But it's not the be all and end all. We need a higher end fighter (now NGAD) and probably a lower end fighter, which the Viper would probably do well for.
Greece is allready upgrading 84 F-16's to Viper and 30 more to 52+ advance..All glass cockpit and AESA radar are standard plus many many other upgrades.They will be a force to recon allongside F-35's and rafale upgraded to F4.
We just went to the Langley Airpower Over Hampton Roads show. Saw the Thunderbirds, F-22, F-35, F-18, P-51, FG1, and some civilian demos. He'll love it!
AN/APG-83 Sabr has GaAs T/R are less powerfull emission than GaN T/R so not state of art tech. Also Sabr Radar is replacement radar of current MESA (Mechanical Scan Array) Radars and has a current Air Cooling System. AN/APG-85 (F-35's next gen Radar) has more modern architecture with GaN and Liquid Cooling System.
GaN is complex to produce, to even produce enough of them will take many years, China is the only country that has mass produce them successfully. it will take NG a decade to produce enough and it is highly toxic. China is no longer selling to murica since last year. by then F-16 upgrades is just pointless, 3000aircraft upgrade is just pointless upgrades, just spend it on the F-35 is better.
I honestly think the F-16 is the greatest fighter ever made and will hold that trophy in my mind until I see otherwise. It’s just so awesome. Light, agile, fast, powerful, great weapon access, not overly expensive, integrated well throughout all western and NATO allies just to name a few. Obviously the F-22 is a far superior stealth dog fighter, the F-35 is far better at stealth and tech integration across ground and air support with ground strike, air support, and even air to air dogfighting, and the F-15 even has some better capabilities depending on which variant. But the F-16 is just an all around outstanding and impressive craft that is going to be able to do the job most of the time. These new block upgrades with everything from fuel, computers, weapons, etc means that we’ll be seeing this craft accomplish both defense and offensive sorties for years to come. Plus, can we all agree that the jet is just sexy as all hell? I know it’s not the F-22, but for the time it was released and for the cost, the craft still makes me fall in love all over again every time I see it in action.
One just has to look at current war game results to realise F-16 gen 4 and F-16V 4.5 gen aircraft are not even in the game, constantly on the losing side. Put the money spent on these updates on new F-35A, the F-16V is your grandpa's plane a real big loser in today's and tomorrow's war.
Currently, Now, the US military is developing 5 or 6 new kinds of very long range air to air missiles, while a couple of the newer missiles are to be shorter so more can be carried. Apparently, the ability to detect at very long ranges has gotten cheaper and now the ability to also strike at those ranges is being created. In this case, those ranges are in excess of, one hundred miles. Not much of a dog fight.
If European F-16's get the upgrade package too. Then the new radar (with its new 90 mile range) and computer combined with Meteor missiles and their 80+ mile intercept range. Will make the upgraded F-16's one of the deadliest Beyond-visual-Range air to air interceptor currently flying. The only thing that differentiate the upgraded F-16's with the Vipers. Is the lack of conformal fuel tanks giving the Viper 30% greater range than current block F-16's.
I'd love to see a block 80 iteration of the Viper being taken on strength by the USAF. One that incorporates CFTs, a somewhat improved engine (variable cycle?), an internal IRST (similar to the block 60 Desert Falcon for the UAE-AF) and if at all possible a cockpit very similar to the F-35 and if useful the divertless supersonic intake tested earlier on the F-16 by LM. The potential advantages might be: - a cheaper to operate platform that sits between Lead in Fighter Training and to 5th gen fighters, - also capable of performing QRA at home and air policing missions abroad (Iceland, Baltic countries), aggressor training, currency training, training JTACS or deployments in lower intensity conflicts and as the mount for the Thunderbirds for years to come, - thus saving F-35 air frames and reducing overall USAF operating costs, - while also keeping the F-16 relevant for potential customers that either cannot afford the F-35 or who aren't eligible for Foreign Sales approval by Congress. I realize that such a configuration may not be well suited for operations in the Asia-Pacific theatre (though South-Korea and the Japanese homeland might be exceptions), but who knows if the reasons above are worth considering. To me the F-16 is the pinnacle of fighter design purely due to esthetics (it looks like a crossover between a shark and an Italian sports car). I don't want to bash the F-35, but as far as looks are concerned I think there's a reason why the Lightning II is affectionately known as "Fat Amy" among pilots. I know, looks are deceiving. Amy has a few tricks up het sleeves the Viper can only dream of. I guess that's why I'd love to see the Viper nearing the gap, so I can feast my eyes on its sleek and aerodynamic line a while longer.
The Viper was always my favorite fighter, too. As a child of the late 80s and 90s, I grew up watching Iron Eagle and playing the F16 PC simulator Falcon 3.0. But, there's just no going back to the F16 for the USA. All US development is on the 6th gen NGAD. And speaking of development, all the modern upgrades to the F15 and F16 have been paid for by all the foreign buyers of these aircraft for the last few decades, with some upgrades developed by Japan while going through the boondoggle Mitsubishi F2 program.
2 trillion dollars……missing…..after 20 years fighting goat herders in Afghanistan. Not one knows where those 2 trillions are. You can start by asking the IMC (Industrial Military Complex). Here’s a paper trial for ya (May I say…..not good for your health?). Taxes from us, to the Corruptocrats. To the DoD. To the IMC. They make/sell those weapons, get used in combat (some sold into the black market by the UkroNaz*s, but I digress), repeat. Some of those taxes get donated to the same Corruptocrats for their reelection. Repeat.
Congress has funded 2 full force upgrades for F16 and 3 block upgrades. Somewhere between the Pentagon and the Airforce, the money gets spent, yet the upgrades never happen. John McCain was in the process of investigating why these programs get funded but never happen. Then, unfortunately, after he passed, no one had taken up the investigation.
Just found out that F-16 had three operating modes, Mode 1, Mode 2 and Mode 3. Mode 3 is only used for war and all modes sit behind a code you have to enter to turn on those functionalities. All F-16 only turn on Mode 2 functionalities as to prevent enemies from gathering electronic data on the full functionality of the radar in mode 3.
I would love to see a video for the hal tejas LCF family. I think to compare them with F20, Grippen and F16 it would be nice idea. Of course tejas is a cheeper jet, but I don't have an idea advantages and disadvantages in different missions compared the other mentioned fighter.
Pretty soon F-35s will be a stealth AWACs that can aim for almost all our 4th gen fighters if we keep upgrading radars and giving aircraft data link upgrades too. I wonder how well it will work.
@John Simpson hit the nail on the head. Boyd and his acolytes designed a "gunfighter". USAF leadership arguably saw "greater" potential in the aircraft and bought the aircraft. IMHO Boyd and The Fighter Mafia could not have foreseen the advances in propulsion and weapons systems technology we've witnessed in the last 40 years. That said, and that the F-16 is second to only to the F-4 and Mig 23 in jet fighter production volume of all time, speaks volumes to the brilliant design of the F-16. Advances in weapons avionics tech, both capabilites and weight savings have yielded opportunity to sustain this most brilliant of all fighter aircraft of the jet age in service and has me rejoicing. I've loved this plane since 14 years old watching the LWF comeptition between the YF-16 and YF-17 in the early 70's, I picking the F-16 as winner if only cuz I thought it looks GREAAAT! As a tax payer and self-admitted life time unabassed fan of the F-16. I'd argue USAF should by more "new" airframes with current advance avionics as cost effective balance to the expensive F-35 fleet.
Another fine episode. I was wondering...with all the upgrades, new tech, added capabilities & increasing ability to detect enemy aircraft at further distances B4 it can detect the F-16 electronically or visually, would these factors bump up this 4th Gen rating to a possible 4.5 Gen fighter aircraft? Any feedback? Thanks.
Absolutely. The EX will have the most powerful radar ever put in a jet. Rumors say that when cranked up to full power, it can peer into a bogey's soul.
Thanks. I was already pretty sure it did, but sometimes my sources turn out to be less than credible. Figured I would ask someone a bit more qualified.
We cut out the middle man entirely and just hardwire a human brain directly into the airframe. That or download our consciousness into the flight computer.
@@pyronuke4768 Brains in jars might handle 20 G's If a A.I. could be built using data from many flight simulators. Then the limitation would probably be how many G's the turbine shaft can take. Something like the Rockwell RPRV-870 HiMAT
Remember the AIR FORCE generals didn't want origionall want the F16 , and have tried multiple times tried to get rid of them . They did this originally with the F 4 then tried to claim the started the F4 series . Airforce Generals
The F16V has a glass cockpit, conformal fuel tanks, more hard points, and a slew of other upgrades. I think the Block 70's will also have glass cockpits, but not sure
I dig the F16 more than the F15 or F18. Its like a little fast sports car or a little rabid dog going nuts! I said they should update this thing again itd be so dangerous!!!
Lockheed needs to increase production of many systems. After so many mergers the US is too slow to manufacture weapons that are needed now not in 10 years. Taiwan is waiting on tens on billions in weaponry but US contractors seem to be unable to fill contracts. Even if the US ordered Block 70s today they wouldn't get any for years. Thats how slow it is.
That’s a good point. In fairness to LockheedMartin and subs, they are doing well with the F-35, although I am surprised there aren’t more assembly lines. But it seems like they’re incentivized financially by developing prototype candidates that could be ten and twenty years out…and then there’s the possibility some SecDef won’t have the long term thinking and pull another F-22. I think we’re lucky so far we haven’t gotten dragged in to the Ukraine War, because I don’t see how we could fight effectively there AND in SE Asia if/when China advances on Taiwan. I agree completely that ‘now’ needs greater prioritization.
Don’t forget the 2 trillion missing….fighting goat herders in Afghanistan. Keep printing money. Paper money. Over 30 Trillion National debt. History teaches that man learns nothing from history
@@ronjon7942 Yes, it is completely unacceptable. I think the issue is that Lockheed doesn't want to spend on another production line. It could also be an issue wth not enough workers or supply chains. We see the same issue in munitions production, HIMARS, even shipyards. We have subs and ships waiting over 5 years to get maintainence.The government was ordering yearly instead of multi-year contract buys. Maybe they are trying to find the balance between current needs and keeping a production line running for decades. Either way, we need more of many things and if Lockheed can't fill the needs it becomes a problem for those waiting years. At some point the government just needs to stop these mergers. Going from over 30 contractors to 4 main ones was a mistake. I would be it is a financial issue, shareholders want top dollars and are not worried about the countries needs.
It’s hard to beat the F-16 in terms of the combination of performance, capability, versatility, availability, and operating costs. The only thing that they really lack is stealth. But if you have some F-35s or stealthy UCAVs then the F-16s can continue to survive and be useful. F-16s would be so helpful to Ukraine right now. They would smoke the Russian Air Force.
I think any American jet would smoke the Russian fighters right now. They have good jets but poorly trained pilots. I bet a A10 could go toe to toe with them.
@@evrydayamerican Russian jets are good at dog fighting with cannons but most fights take place at long ranges where The American aircraft and their radar and munition guidance technology would dominate.
@@evrydayamerican the A-10 or any jet the West has will be shot down by the S-300/400/500 systems at over 100 miles away. Flying an F-16 operationally takes at least 18 months of training. That’s time and people the UkroNaz*s don’t have.
If Ukraine wants Vipers, they can buy them and have their own pilots fly them. Also, based on the recent leaks, Ukraine is losing soldiers at an 8-1 clip against Russia, so I don't really understand why you think Ukraine could smoke Russia at anything. If it weren't for the US asinine involvement and funding of this war, Russia would have long ago secured a peace agreement and taken back the Donbass.
It's too bad we can't or won't by some new block 70 Vipers to replace older Air Force models. Use the older Air Force models as replacements for national guard F-16s then give Ukraine the old national guard F-16s. They wouldn't be getting there anytime soon but they would be getting them. But what do I know 🤷♂️
ANG is the primary force for continental air defense. There are much more ANG fighters pulling alert than regular AF fighters. Been that way for years. New radars are cheaper then cities.
Easily to maintain must be a bid lie. Ain't the maintenance really high on it. Now easy maintenance and cost might not be same thing. But in my world it means more maintenance
Here is a plane that needs thrust vectoring. it's a plane that can take 9 Gs. Thrust vectoring would make it a very hard plane to dogfight with. It would do better than the F22's maneuvers, just because of the G differences. Why is this not done for this plane? Cheap easy repaired plane. MOIRE FOR THE BUCK.
They did with the F16 VISTA for testing. In an interview with Billie Flynn, the USAF did consider it in the past but TVC threatened the procurement of the F22 which also had TVC. The F22's greatest strengths come from stealth and avionics not TVC which politicians would look at both jets and wonder why funding was needed for another jet with TVC.
No F-16 updates the USAF should purchase F-35A and some F-35B and use the STOVL capability aircraft to it advantage. Much like the RAF used the Harrier GR1 in Germany during the1970s dispersing the Harrier's to off airfields and on to roads systems around Europe if the shiitt hits the fan.
I think Russia was the first to develop the Phased Array Radar for military jets. It took the U.S. a lengthy time to duplicate the technology, darn it. Yet I wonder if the F-16 fuselage gun can be adapted to shoot 20 mm paintballs. 😶
Get the F-16's to Ukraine,that is so much more important than whatever version of F-16's the USAF gets. No one attacks the USAF,F-35's are so much superior. Let's get a hundred Ukrainian pilots trained within 4 ,months and have 100 F-16's ready for them, more important than USAF procurement.
@@dylanwhite3383The Ukrainians would learn quickly and in the meantime Ukraine could use trained private contractors and volunteers from other nations.
@@iakona23 that unfortunately would escalate the conflict to where no amount of politics could save us from a nuclear attack if Russia feels threatened by foreign pilots in foreign jets
@@dylanwhite3383 Nonsense. Russia tried to make threats from the very beginning to not give any aid to Ukraine and I remember people like you saying we shouldn’t give any military aid to Ukraine. Anything Russia tries to do to escalate will not lead in their victory and will make things much worse for them. All they have to do is withdrawal forces from Ukraine and the war would be over today.
@@iakona23 No how about you try fighting a war against a modern super power and the only weapon your given is an ancient single shot rifle or even a bolt action rifle and the enemy comes at you with modern assault rifles and helicopters and jets that can shoot missles at your position from hundreds of miles away and you can't see them until it's to late
Against a 5th gen fighter this aircraft and the F-16V are sitting ducks, updating the older F-16 in this era is like putting lipstick on a pig. Ok for Iraq and Afghanistan type operations and maybe against Russia but against an upcoming China I have serious doubts about their capabilities. One just has to look at current war games results to realise 4 and 4.5 gen aircraft are not even in the game, constantly on the losing side. Put the money spent on these updates on new F-35A and F-35B
I'd give the Ukrainians these older updated F-16s and hundreds of JASSM-ER and say go for it, take out the electrical grid of Moscow just so I can watch it on TV. TV is getting boring lately.
The F16 was THE LAST good fighter produced in the USA, but it is outdated now and with nothing to fill the gap. Yes, the F35 is time and money wasted and not combat worthy, too dependent to different data feeders and way to maintenance intensive, it is a fighter incapable of doing a job by itself!
They resisted this upgrade for too long, because they didn't want to admit that the F-35 is essentially a strike aircraft , sort of the F-105 of the 21th century and that the F-16 could not be replaced entirely.