General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.
 
The Fighting Falcon is a fighter with numerous innovations including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees 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 helps to make it a nimble aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 locations for mounting weapons and other mission equipment. The F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", but "Viper" is commonly used by its pilots, due to a perceived resemblance to a viper snake as well as the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter.
 
In addition to active duty U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the USAF aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 27 other nations.
==Users==
*Afghanistan
**Afghan Air Force
*Argentina
**Argentine Air Force
*Bahrain
**Royal Bahrain Air Force
*Belgium
**Belgian Air Component
*Bulgaria
**Bulgarian Air Force
*Canada
**Royal Canadian Air Force - see Lockheed Martin CF-16K Fighting Falcon
*Chile
**Chilean Air Force
*Republic of China
**Republic of China Air Force
*Denmark
**Royal Danish Air Force
*Egypt
**Egyptian Air Force
*Greece
**Hellenic Air Force
*Indonesia
**Indonesian Air Force
*Iran
**Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
*Ireland
**Irish Air Corps
*Israel
**Israeli Air Force -see Lockheed Martin F-16I Sufa
*Italy
**Aeronautica Militare
*Jordan
**Royal Jordanian Air Force
*South Korea
**Republic of Korea Air Force - see KAI KF-16 Fighting Falcon
*Mexico
**Mexican Air Force
*Morocco
**Royal Moroccan Air Force
*Netherlands
**Royal Netherlands Air Force
*New Zealand
**Royal New Zealand Air Force
*Norway
**Royal Norwegian Air Force
*Oman
**Royal Air Force of Oman
*Pakistan
**Pakistan Air Force
*Philippines
**Philippine Air Force
*Poland
**Polish Air Force
*Portugal
**Portuguese Air Force
*Romania
**Romanian Air Force
*Saudi Arabia
**Royal Saudi Air Force
*Singapore
**Republic of Singapore Air Force
*Slovakia
**Slovak Air Force
*Thailand
**Royal Thai Air Force
*Turkey
**Turkish Air Force
*United Arab Emirates
**United Arab Emirates Air Force
*United States
**United States Air Force
**United States Navy
*Venezuela
**Venezuelan Air Force - sold to Iran in 2008.
==See Also==
===Related Development===
*AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo
*KAI KF-16 Fighting Falcon
*KAI T-50 Golden Eagle
*Lockheed Martin F-16I Sufa
*Lockheed Martin CF-16K Fighting Falcon
*Mitsubishi F-2 Viper Zero
===Comparable Aircraft===
*Chengdu J-10
*Dassault Mirage 2000
**Dassault Mirage 2000N/D
*Dassault Rafale
*Eurofighter Typhoon
*McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
**McDonnell-Douglas CF-188 Hornet
**Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
***Boeing EA-18G Growler
*Mikoyan MiG-29
**Mikoyan MiG-29K
**Mikoyan MiG-29M
***Mikoyan MiG-35
*Saab JAS 39 Gripen
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