USS Intrepid
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
The ineffectiveness of U.S. fighters during the Vietnam War (1964–75) prompted the development of a new fighter airplane for the U.S. Air Force. Entering service in 1978, the F-16 Fighting Falcon (nicknamed “Viper” after the “viper” fighters in the 1970s science-fiction television series Battlestar Galactica) has gone through different variants and is still in production by Lockheed Martin. Well over 4,000 have been built and are flown by no fewer than 27 Air Forces worldwide.
The single-seat F-16 is a compact, highly maneuverable fighter whose bubble canopy affords the pilot virtually unobstructed visibility. It can fly 1,320 mph (2,125 kph) at heights of more than 55,000 feet (15,240 meters). The seat angle is reclined from the usual 13 degrees to 30 degrees, increasing the pilot’s gravity force tolerance up to 9 Gs. Extremely responsive flight control is achieved through a computer-assisted “fly-by-wire” system rather than the usual mechanical cables and hydraulic linkage controls.
In 1991, this F-16A was deployed by the New York National Guard to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.
USS Intrepid
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
The ineffectiveness of U.S. fighters during the Vietnam War (1964–75) prompted the development of a new fighter airplane for the U.S. Air Force. Entering service in 1978, the F-16 Fighting Falcon (nicknamed “Viper” after the “viper” fighters in the 1970s science-fiction television series Battlestar Galactica) has gone through different variants and is still in production by Lockheed Martin. Well over 4,000 have been built and are flown by no fewer than 27 Air Forces worldwide.
The single-seat F-16 is a compact, highly maneuverable fighter whose bubble canopy affords the pilot virtually unobstructed visibility. It can fly 1,320 mph (2,125 kph) at heights of more than 55,000 feet (15,240 meters). The seat angle is reclined from the usual 13 degrees to 30 degrees, increasing the pilot’s gravity force tolerance up to 9 Gs. Extremely responsive flight control is achieved through a computer-assisted “fly-by-wire” system rather than the usual mechanical cables and hydraulic linkage controls.
In 1991, this F-16A was deployed by the New York National Guard to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.