F-16 Modernization: Bridging the Fighter Capability Gap

By Dieter E. Bareihs

The next-generation F/A-22 Raptor and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) are scheduled to become a significant part of the USAF force structure in the next 5-15 years. Until sufficient quantities of these aircraft are operational, the United States Air Force will rely on legacy systems such as the F-16. Unless the USAF upgrades its F-16 fleet, however, it will be faced with not one, but two gaps in capability. The F-16 has been produced in quantities of nearly 4,000, of which the USAF owns a significant share.
Unfortunately, these aircraft are aging faster than expected, and will require structural upgrades to extend their service life. Without these upgrades, over 1000 F-16s in service today will be unusable in the 2012 timeframe, before initial operational capability of the JSF. The result will be a gap in force structure, and thus in overall capabilities. However, the F-16 requires more than structural upgrades.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1288333994
• ISBN13: 9781288333998
• Release Date: November 2012
• Publisher: Biblioscholar
• Length: 50 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 7.4" x 9.7"