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The General-Dynamics F16 Falcon is an American single-engine, multi-purpose light fighter
and stormtrooper. Work on the F-16 project was started in 1971 by General Dynamics (which became part of Lockheed Martin in 1993), by entering
the competition for a light multi-purpose fighter (LWF) for the US Air Force. The YF-16 prototype flew on 2 February 1974. A breakthrough in
technical terms was the use of a computerized electric fly-by-wire control system, which made it possible to reduce the wing and tail area,
and thus reduce the weight of the entire aircraft. The F-16 was the first fighter in the world to use such a system. The first versions were
to a large extent made of aluminum alloys (about 83% of the total structure), but with time they gave way to composites. The different versions
of the F-16 are powered by three versions of the engines: Pratt-Whitney F-100-PW-200, General Electric F110-GE100 and Pratt-Whitney F-100-PW-2020.
Serial production of the F-16 began in 1975. It was also attended by European NATO countries for which it was an injection of new aviation technologies.
Final assembly was carried out in the USA, Belgium and the Netherlands. The first serial F-16A Fighting Falcon was flown on 7 August 1978. It is an
assault version of the F-16, intended primarily to counter ground targets. The F-16 also proved itself in combat, with a series of air victories in
the war in Lebanon (1982) and during the Operation Desert Storm (1991). There were six basic versions of the F-16, marked A, C, E (single-seater) and
B, D, F (two-seater). On the basis of these six models, numerous modernizations were created, most often associated with the replacement of avionics,
marked as "Block". The F-16 Block 72 was the latest version of the F-16 and was delivered to the Indonesian Air Force (IDAF). The F-16 Block 70/72,
combined advanced F-16 capability upgrades and structural upgrades. More than 4,585 F-16s have been produced for 28 customers.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the General Dynamics F-16A is F16
On 5 May 1977, the Belgian Government signed a contract for 116 General Dynamics F-16 fighters.
(96 F16A single-seaters and 20 F16B dual-seaters) to be used by the Begian Air Component. The Belgian aircraft were to be assembled at the SABCA factory at Gosselies, using
components produced next to Belgium in the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. On 26 January 1979, the first production F-16 from SABCA's flight line was delivered to the
Belgian Air Force. In February 1983, a second order for 40 F16As and 4 F16Bs (Block 15 OCU) for the Belgian Air Force was signed, with deliveries taking place between 1987
and 1991. Over the years the Belgian Air Force' F-16 fleet has been updated and modernised continuously with the largest update being the Midlife Update. The so-called
MLU-project brought the F16A/Bs to the latest Block 50 level and an extended life basically until approximately 2015.
On 29 August 1991, the SABCA-built General Dynamics F-16A Block 15AJ OCU s/n 6H-135 (90-0026; SABCA c/n B-217) entered service with the Belgian Air Force as FA-135.
Early 2000, the FA-135 was upgraded and modified into a F-16A Block 20 MLU.
On 5 November 2024, the Belgian Air Force 2 Wing' F-16A Block 20 MLU FA-135 was seen during
the Weapons Instructor Course (WIC) 2024 at Leeuwarden Air Base (EHLW/LWR). |
