Evolution of the Viper: The Modernization and Resilience of the F-16 Fighter Jet
The F-16, also known as the Fighting Falcon or Viper, is the most produced 4th generation fighter, with over 4,500 examples delivered to some 26 nations globally. Today, about 3,000 F-16s are still flying. Capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground roles, the F-16 is a lightweight, multi-role, agile, and easy to maintain fighter. For these reasons, it’s easy to see that the Fighting Falcon or Viper is the most popular and one of the most versatile fighters in the sky today.
However, the Viper’s biggest customer, the U.S Air Force, has a bit of a problem. Some of its 600 plus F-16s are in need of modernization. What most people don’t realize is that the latest upgraded F-16s, which are being made today, are being exported to other countries. The last U.S Air Force F-16 was delivered all the way back in 2005.
To put this into context, we need to talk about blocks. Many aircraft which have long production runs undergo modifications during their lifetimes to keep parts commonality and maintenance somewhat easier. Aircraft are produced in common batches or blocks. In the case of the F-16, these are usually numbered in multiples of 10, with the more recent USAF examples being block 30–32, block 40–42, and block 50–52. Today, Lockheed is delivering the block 70 F-16, also known as the Viper.
Given its decades-long procurement time frame of the Fighting Falcon, some of today’s Air Force F-16s are flying around with less than current equipment. And while modernization efforts have begun, there is one important area that is finally being addressed: the radar.
Today, most modern radars use what is known as active electronically scanned array or AESA technology. This system makes use of an electronic panel to steer radar beams towards targets. Since the beams can emanate from anywhere on the panel, there is no need to steer or move a physical radar dish. The beam movement is near instantaneous, as opposed to older mechanical radars which rely on servos to reposition the dish to look at a different piece of sky.
Currently, the Air Force still operates some older block F-16s which use mechanical radars. Efforts have been made in the past to upgrade these radars, most notably the Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite or CAPES, which would have upgraded the radars on 300 USAF F-16s, but this effort was canceled in 2014.
In 2015, the Air Force then initiated a radar modernization program, which was followed by a command joint emergent operational need or JEON initiative to upgrade older block 30–32 National Guard F-16s that are part of the Homeland defense mission. These combined initiatives resulted in a lengthy competition to select the replacement radar for the F-16. The USAF chose Northrop Grumman’s AN APG-83 radar.
The APG-83 is an excellent choice as it builds upon AESA technology by implementing the Scalable Agile Beam Radar or SABR design. This is important because the APG-83 brings to the F-16 fifth-generation radar capabilities found on the F-22 and F-35. The F-22 makes use of the APG-77 radar, while the F-35 uses the APG-81 radar, both of which are also produced by Northrop Grumman. They know a thing or two about fire control radars.
Recently, Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract to optimize the APG SABR radar for the F-16. The APG-83 could simultaneously track up to 35 targets and extend its detection range to over 90 miles or 150 kilometers.
The hardware and advanced operating modes of the radar are directly sourced from the F-22 and F-35 radars. In fact, about 95% of the SABR mode suite comes directly from the APG-81 radar found on the F-35. This gives the updated F-16s 5th generation electronic protection and advanced modes.
The result is that the APG-83 provides the F-16 improved electronic bandwidth, speed, and agility, giving the Viper quicker detection, tracking, and identification of a greater number of targets at longer ranges. Additionally, it presents pilots with high-resolution synthetic aperture radar mapping, enabling them to view a larger surface image in all weather conditions for more precise target identification and strike, surpassing the capabilities of legacy systems.
Along with the new radar, the Fighting Falcon will receive an upgraded Link 16 data link that converts the fleet to a high-speed data network and further cockpit modernizations that include updates to the main mission computer, a programmable data generator, a Communications Suite Upgrade or CSU, and a large display unit are also included in the upgrades.
Collectively, these upgrades should bring the Air Force’s F-16s close to, if not equal to, the latest version, the Block 70–72 Viper. The APG-83 is standard on the Block 70 series of Vipers. Block 70 Vipers also include the Automatic Ground Collision Avoiding System or Auto GCAS. This system is designed to reduce incidents of what is known as controlled flight into terrain or CFIT. Auto GCAS was jointly developed by Lockheed Skunk Works, NASA, and the Air Force. The system has already saved the lives of seven pilots and six F-16s since entering service.
The Block 70 F-16 also builds on 36 years of weapon integration testing for the platform. In fact, Lockheed Martin has certified more than 3,000 carriage and release configurations for over 180 different types of stores. Block 70 Vipers will continue this long tradition of multi-mission capability, with newer weapons in development being incorporated into the F-16’s long list of available options.
With these upgrades, the F-16 should continue to be a frontline fighter for years, if not decades, to come. A combat-proven and time-tested platform, the F-16 continues to make aviation history nearly 50 years since it first flew. Not bad for an airplane that began life as a low-cost day fighter.
The F-16 has had an incredible service life and shows no signs of slowing down. It’s an incredible fighter that continues to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of modern warfare.
