Is There Anything An F-16 Cannot Do? (Break from Politics)

Strategy Page ^ | April 21, 2013 | Strategy Page

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

The U.S. Air Force prefers to use its F-16 fighters for everything. While the F-16 is a capable and versatile aircraft, the main reason for using it so much is because it is so cheap to operate. It costs the air force $23,000 per hour to operate an F-16C. Other fighters are much more expensive. An F-22 costs $68,000 an hour, while an F-15C costs $42,000 and an F-15E $36,000.

The only aircraft that beats the F-16C is the A-10C, which costs $18,000 an hour. But the A-10 is not a fighter and is optimized for ground support. The F-16 can also do that, but not as well. The other ground support aircraft, the AC-130U costs $46,000 an hour. That’s why these are being replaced by C-130 transports ($18,000 an hour) with special cargo containers consisting of sensors and weapons similar to those on the AC-130.

The F-16, like the A-10 can also drop smart bombs. Both aircraft are much cheaper at this than the bombers. The B-52H costs $70,000 an hour, the B-1B $58,000 and the B-2 $169,000. The problem with the bombers is that with smart bombs you don’t need a lot of bombs. So what the F-16 can carry (a dozen or more, depending on weight) is usually adequate in places like Afghanistan. For an attack on, say, North Korea, the bombers would come into their own, at least for the initial assault when there are a lot of targets to hit.

With the right sensors, missiles and electronic weapons plus well-trained pilots the F-16 can beat just about any other fighter out there. For stealth fighters, that would have to include sensors that can handle stealth. But stealth fighters often have the best sensors and electronics as well. Thus against most foes a well tricked out F-16 can do it all.

[OldMissileer]

BUFF pilot: “Shut off two engines.”

There is also the one where the BUFF pilot says, "I just got out of my seat, took a leak and got a cup of coffee."

[Jack Hydrazine]

In this documentary about the dogfights of Desert Storm they mention at around the 17:30 mark that an F-15 took 12gs in a Split-S maneuver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epQoceuzuJA

[yarddog]

I can’t watch the video because of my dial-up connection.

Didn’t the “Nomads” from Eglin AFB pretty much dominate the air combat?

[Jack Hydrazine]

They didn’t mention the Nomands from Eglin AFB but only the pilots’ names who were flying F-15Cs engaging MiG-25 Foxbats and MiG-29 Fulcrums.

[Oztrich Boy]

I personally would vote for the Spitfire, tho the Messerschmidt BF-109 was close.

Best looking twin engined carrier fighter: the Hornet

[Nowhere Man]

Same thing with fighter jets. The basic platform was pretty much as you say, on a plateau beginning with the 60s. There have been improvements but really how much has the basic platform improved? The real advances have been in computer and electronic technologies.

Again, I get into trouble but I do agree. If I had an F-4 or MiG-21 with more advanced avionics, they could be more of a match for fighters like the Sukhoi-30, the F-22 and so on. I think for the most part, stealth is overrated, heck IIRC, I think if you used old WWII type radars, you can pick up stealth aircraft as plain as day, using CW pulse modulation. Supercruise was done in the 1950's, the English Electric Lightning, with it's two "over/under" engines, had supercruise as well and did attain Mach 2.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not downplaying totally what we have developed in the last 50 years but it isn't the undefeatable "Flash Gordon/Buck Rogers" technology either. Sometimes this also causes nations and people to be cocky and too reliant on technology instead of skill.

I'm just saying that you can still use old airframes if you had to but update them a bit. Even so, it really does not take much computing power to scan, acquire, track and guide a missile to target. I've talked to a coworker who worked with computers from the old F-102 where the pilots wore them on their leg and plugged them into the plane. The computers used about 8K of memory to do all of that. I think the main difference today is you need more computing power when you have to monitor the plane's "health" and system as well as navigation.

There are no true obsolete weapons, it is how you employ them.

[Nowhere Man]

I’m an old KC-135 driver. I left the AF in ‘84 from Dyess, and my very last day in the Force.....Dyess took delivery of its first B-1. Helluva sight to see.

Here in Pittsburgh, we have KC-135's in the Penna Air Nat'l Guard and C-130's in the Air Force Reserve.

[Sequoyah101]

It can’t fly with one engine out.

[rmh47]

If you look at a U2, it is obviously closely related to the F-104.

No surprise there. They were both designed at Lockheed's Skunkworks by Kelly Johnson.

[Hulka]

All fighters, except the A-10, are rated at 9-g’s for everyday flight.

They can go higher but need an NDI before the next flight.

Thing is, the F-16 is controlled by a computer so the jet CAN’T go above 9-g’s if demands by the pilot. Other fighters can.

[red devil 40]

Old Air Force magazine cartoon:

A zoomie in an F-4 is flying along with a BUFF. The zoomie of course has to show off, and then says to the BUFF pilot “You can’t do anything like that!”. The BUFF pilot responds “Yeah, but can you do this?” The BUFF keeps flying at the same speed, altitude, and direction.
Zoomie: “Do what?”
BUFF pilot: “Shut off two engines.”

I aways thought the reply was “get up and get a cup of coffee and a hot pastry from the microwave...”

[EternalVigilance]

I’m also old SAC. I loved the way the BUFF’s took off. When I was leaving the AF, the B1’s were starting to arrive.

I was driving a cab in Bellevue, NE when the first B1 was officially delivered to the Air Force. Our cab stand was right outside the Offutt gates, and so I had the chance to watch the whole show. It was amazing. That bird came off the tarmac and practically went straight up. I was in awe.

[Spruce]

One of my favorite Kelly Johnson designs:


Lockheed Constellation

[editor-surveyor]

That’s some cool flying, he must have nerves of piano wire.

[editor-surveyor]

>> “I was just thinking of when I was a kid they had fighters which were just as fast as what we have now.” <<

.
There are real world limitations on how fast a manned aircraft can travel.

[editor-surveyor]

Dead link, must have been way too hot!