The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a highly maneuverable, single-engine, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) for the United States Air Force.
Key Facts:
- First Flight: 1974
- Introduced: 1978
- Role: Multirole fighter (air-to-air and air-to-ground missions)
- Crew: 1 (some variants are 2-seat trainers)
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney F100 or General Electric F110 turbofan
- Speed: Over Mach 2 (approx. 1,500+ mph / 2,400+ km/h)
- Range: About 2,600 miles (with drop tanks)
- Armament:
- 1 × M61 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon
- Up to 17,000 lbs of ordnance (air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles, bombs, rockets)
- Operators: Over 25 countries, including the U.S., Poland, Israel, Turkey, South Korea, and more.
Features:
- “Bubble canopy” for excellent pilot visibility.
- Fly-by-wire controls for high agility.
- Cost-effective compared to other fighters, making it one of the most exported jets in the world.
- Over 4,600 built, still in active service worldwide.
It’s often nicknamed the “Viper” by pilots, even though its official name is Fighting Falcon.
👉 Do you want me to make a visual infographic of the F-16’s specs and features?
