The UAE's F-16 Block 60 Desert Falcon Fleet

08-Jan-2008 12:22

The F-16 has become what its designers intended it to be: a worthy successor to the legendary P-51 Mustang whose principles of visibility, agility, and pilot-friendliness informed its design. It is no exaggeration to call it the defining fighter of its age, the plane that many people around the world think of when they think "fighter." The aircraft's ability to handle future adversaries like the thrust-vectoring MiG-29OVT/35 and advanced surface-air missile systems is in question, but upgrades have kept F-16s popular and in production.
The most advanced F-16s in the world, however, are not American. That distinction belongs to the United Arab Emirates, whose F-16 E/F Block 60 are a generation ahead of the F-16 C/D Block 50/52+ aircraft that form the backbone of the US fleet and many others around the world. The Block 60 has been described as a lower-budget alternative to the forthcoming F-35A Joint Strike Fighter – and is being treated as such in countries like India and the Netherlands as they contemplate their future fighter needs.

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* NOTE: This is the model offered to India the one they can't make there mind up on. They could retire the Mirage 2000, Mig-29, Mig-27, and others plus keep a lot of Flanker patrols on the ground. No sense burning all the aviation fuel up right AESA radar in the Block-60 would do nicely.

If its cheaper then F-35A India should not wait to long or kiss that production line bye bye, Viper is my second fav. to the Tomcat, the Cat is my all time fav.

The sad part to this Indian aircraft adventure is that even if India signed a contract right now it would almost three years before Vipers would reach India. Another three to five to train up and get good so your talking almost thirteen years to select and go active with a choice of a non 5th generation fighter.

Interesting...it's got a conventional wing/horizontal stabilizer setup (although it does have the additional avionics packed into the blisters along the dorsal areas). I've always grown up thinking the F-model would get that F-16XL "cranked arrow" wing that would eliminate the horizontal stabilizer and increase fuel capacity by some 70%.

I always thought that like F-15E that F-16XL would be produced in large numbers. More fuel like you said which turns into added range and I assume could carry a larger payload because of the stronger wing as well.

Something must have come up during testing that deep-six'ed the program, because the F-16XL existed as early as the mid-1980's (IIRC).

I made a thread on the Mig 35, I think on my sorces there it said something about india wanting to buy some of those. I don't think India is sure which aircraft hey might buy, it's like going shopping for a car, you have a dozen attractive models (Su 35 BM, Mig 35 (29 OVT) F 16 E/F, and the best option for cheap stealth the F 35). With all these options, making the right choice for their Air Forces may be challenging. What about the Indian Navy? Will they keep hanging on to Sea Harriers?

The UAE has made a good choice, the Falcon has a good performance record, what about the service and munitions agreements that comes with the new aircraft? Who is responsible for that the U.S.? Or some one else?

Hi Sukio

Sukio
What about the Indian Navy? Will they keep hanging on to Sea Harriers?

India's navy purchased (18 Mig-29K and may have increased that by a few air frames. I think the Fulcrum K is the 9.47 model Fulcrum very advance including new D-33 III/? almost smokeless engines and is a new built. Not built on the same old air frames from the 90+ Iraq canceled order from years back which all the SMT models are built off of. Yemens Fulcrums 9.18 and Algeria 9.19 Fulcrums are upgrades the new India Ks are new, big difference. The K/M/ M2 cool two-seat attack version carry almost 50% more fuel and has 8 weapons hard points compared to the 6 on the SMT Fulcrums, both have centerline fuel tank.

The Mig-35 seen at all the air shows is really a Mig-29M a land model built off the India K model/type. The Mig-35 sadly is still vaporware and yet to be built and if India doesn't select it, it may never get produced. And AESA radar isn't produced yet so no Mig-35/AESA combo yet.

I almost forgot India is keeping there Sea Harriers. A slight upgrade coming its way or it may received it already mainly software & weapons systems.

Hope that helps