General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

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F-16 Fighting Falcon
A USAF F-16C over the desert in Iraq, 2008
General information
Type	Multirole fighter, air superiority fighter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	General Dynamics (1974–1993) Lockheed Corporation (1993–1995) Lockheed Martin (1995–present)
Built by	SABCA (1979–1985) Fokker (1979–1982) KAI (1994–2004) TUSAŞ (1987–2011)
Status	In service
Primary users	United States Air Force 25 other users (see operators page)
Number built	4,604 (as of June 2018)[1][2]
History
Manufactured	1973–2017, 2019–present[3]
Introduction date	17 August 1978; 46 years ago (1978-08-17)
First flight	20 January 1974; 51 years ago (1974-01-20) (unplanned); 2 February 1974; 51 years ago (1974-02-02) (official)
Variants	General Dynamics X-62 VISTA
Developed into	Vought Model 1600 General Dynamics F-16XL Mitsubishi F-2

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft under production by Lockheed Martin.^[4] Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft with over 4,600 built since 1976.^[5] Although no longer purchased by the United States Air Force (USAF), improved versions are being built for export. As of 2025, it is the world's most common fixed-wing aircraft in military service, with 2,084 F-16s operational.^[6]

The aircraft was first developed by General Dynamics in 1974. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to Lockheed,^[7] which became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.^[8]

The F-16's key features include a frameless bubble canopy for enhanced cockpit visibility, a side-stick to ease control while maneuvering, an ejection seat reclined 30 degrees from vertical to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that helps to make it an agile aircraft. The fighter has a single turbofan engine, an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 hardpoints. Although officially named "Fighting Falcon", the aircraft is commonly known by the nickname "Viper" among its crews and pilots.^[9]

In addition to active duty in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, the US Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration Team,^[10] and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured by the air forces of 25 other nations.^[11]