How the F-16 Revolutionized the Art of Dogfighting

The F-16 Fighting Falcon, designed in the 1970s, was a watershed in the philosophy of air combat. Dubbed the “Viper” by its pilots, the aircraft embodies agility and lethality. It is, in many ways, the very embodiment of John Boyd’s energy-maneuverability theory, which revolutionized how dogfights are approached and won. The crux of this theory, that success in air combat is predicated on maintaining…