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Crown the US Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcon the most successful fighter of all time.
The F-16 will destroy enemy ground forces in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Serbia, shifting the balance of power between Ukraine and Taiwan. No other jet fighter developed nearly 50 years ago is still in such high demand today.
Come on, criticize me. Indeed, the F-15 Eagle has an air combat kill ratio of 104-0. The F-22 Raptor is the stealth, speed, and technologically superior fighter, and the F-22 was just sent back to the Middle East to counter Russia’s dangerous air activity over Syria.
Massive NATO Air Force Exercise for Attack on NATO Member States: “Our Red Line”
Looking back, who doesn’t love early jets like the Navy’s “Top Gun” F-14 Tomcat (now retired) and the F-86 Saber, which gained prominence in the Korean War? Is not it?
F 16 fighter jets take part in a NATO air defense exercise near the air base in Rusk, central Poland, October 12, 2022. (Ladslow Joswiak/AFP via Getty Images)
Still, the F-16’s combat prowess, versatility, and longevity are unmatched. This is a busy jet. Portuguese and Romanian F-16s now provide NATO air patrol against Russian intruders in the Baltic Sea. Taiwan’s F-16s face a massive package of Chinese fighter jets.
Remember the sonic boom over Washington DC on Sunday, June 4th? Guys, it was just an F-16. The shockwave released as the F-16 accelerated above the speed of sound shook and shook homes along a 40-mile arc spanning suburban Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland.
If you heard that, you were lucky. This is extremely rare, as regulations prohibit F-16s patrolling the capital from flying at supersonic speeds except in an emergency.
And yes, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov complained last week, the US F-16 is also certified to carry tactical nuclear weapons for the extended deterrence of its allies. The F-16 was on nuclear alert in Germany for years during the Cold War.
Be prepared for this. Over 4,560 F-16s have been built since the 1970s. This is not a jet fighter record. Vietnam veterans know that a total of 5,195 of his F-4 Phantoms were produced from 1958 to his 1979, and many more.
The F-4 scored far more air-to-air kills against communist MiG fighters in the Vietnam War than any other aircraft. But most F-4 pilots would agree that the F-16 is clearly superior.
The F-16 is a really beautiful plane. The F-16’s wing can withstand his 9G. This is nine times his weight allowed for a fighter pilot.
I recently flew a two-seat F-16 in Alaska with the Air Force’s Aggressor Squadron. Their squadron preparation room was full of red stars, hammers and other Chinese and Russian style ornaments and tools. Because their mission is to master enemy tactics and train pilots to defeat them.
File: Taiwanese F-16 fighter jets fly in close formation over the Presidential Palace during the National Day celebrations in front of the Presidential Palace in Taipei, Taiwan, October 10, 2021. (AP photo/Jiang Yingying)
All F-16s had a custom Adversary Stripe paint job. We spent an hour jinking and banking while ‘committing’ other aircraft targets as directed by the master controller. The F-16 was so smooth it was disappointing when it landed.
This sleek F-16 fighter has funny nicknames like the ‘Viper’ and the ‘Lawn Dart’, but it’s a true multi-purpose aircraft. The F-16 first flew in 1974 and was purchased by the Air Force as a cheaper sibling to the F-15 Eagle. The F-16 did more than that.
It continued to build up NATO air forces and strike multiple wars in Iraq, striking everything from strategic targets to Iraqi ground forces. The design turned out to be tough and versatile. The Air Force continued to upgrade the F-16 with new technology and weaponry. Currently, the F-16 carries her conventional weapons in 180 different configurations.
Lockheed Martin’s new factory in Greenville, South Carolina, is churning out four F-16s a month. F-16 will fly until his 2060. The F-16 is a truly global aircraft, flying in 25 countries, from Poland to Israel to South Korea. Foreign customers will buy $64 billion worth of jets in the next few years.
Therefore, although the F-16 has a strong combat record and is popular all over the world, establishing the F-16 as the best aircraft in history is also a big challenge for the future.
Unsurprisingly, the F-16 was the right choice for Ukraine. What a shame it took so long for President Joe Biden. Give Ukrainian combat-experienced pilots a 45-day checkout course and they might fly an F-16 today.
Yes, Russia’s air defenses from Belarus to Crimea are formidable, but the F-16 can still be very effective with the right tactics. The F-16 can fire precision weapons against Russian forces, artillery, vehicles and other military targets in Ukraine.
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When National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN, “Airplanes aren’t the critical system for counterattacking,” I was shocked. What is this, World War I? Since 1918, air power has dominated America’s method of warfare.
The US Navy Blue Angels and US Air Force Thunderbirds have debuted their “Super Hornet” flight fleet, which includes the F-16 Fighting Falcons and F/A-18s. This moment was captured by MC2 Kody Hendricks on March 2, 2021 during a joint exercise over Naval Air Facility El Centro. (U.S. Navy/SWNS)
I hope the air power rating will go up soon. Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the incoming Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is a prodigious F-16 pilot who understands the dangers of China.
It is here that the Taiwan Air Force relies on the F-16 for many years. Taiwan is also upgrading its F-16s and buying new batches. Taiwan’s F-16 will be at the forefront of the hotly contested battle with China.
If that happens, God bless you, F-16s will protect Taiwan and its 23 million people, and convince Chinese thug President Xi Jinping that Taiwan cannot be conquered by blockade and coercion. will be
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What about the F-35 Lightning? The stealthy version of the F-22 has been a huge success for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and many allies from Britain to Germany. However, the F-35 is unlikely to exceed the F-16’s lifespan or production timeline, especially as the Air Force deploys more drones to augment its fighter missions.
And ultimately, what makes the F-16 GOAT is the F-16’s big future.
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