F-16XL

A group of five F-16XLs on patrol

76 (Elite)

104 (Heroic)

219 (Heroic)

## Introduction

The **F-18XL** is a Tier 1 aircraft exclusive to General Malcolm "Ace" Granger, it serves the role as a flying artillery unit, similar to the Pave Low, only more maneuverable.

## Overview

A derivative of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-16XL is notable for its cranked-arrow delta wing design. It was selected by General Malcolm "Ace" Granger of the USAF as he required a cheap, reliable and easily mass-produced airborne platform to carry air-launched cruise missiles. And being a derivative of the already mass-produced F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-16XL easily fitted within the role.

The large wing area of the F-16XL is capable of generating large amounts of lift, and also serve as large fuel tanks, increasing the jet's payload capacity and combat radius. The F-16XL is capable of carrying two subsonic air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM), their high explosive warheads can prove to be devastating to structures and fortifications, allowing a flight of these fighter-bombers to easily tear holes in an enemy's defensive line, paving the way for ground-based of aerial assaults.

However, likely due to limitations of the aircraft's avionics, the F-16XL cannot launch its payload at targets beyond visual range without additional support. Therefore, positioning an Eye Designator at a good spot can drastically increase the attack range of the F-16XL, allowing them to demolish enemy defenses from outside their retaliatory radius and increasing the jet's survivability.

While the F-16XL is one of the more expendable air units in Contra, costing less than $1,000 which is very cheap for an air unit, one should not send them to bomb enemy structures without proper support. As with most aircraft, the F-16XL is poorly armored and will not withstand AA fire for very long, also, downed planes means experience for the enemy, which allows them to gain promotions and acquire more advanced AA units and strike powers which allow them to target your Levitation Pads directly.

One should also pay attention to interceptor units, such as the GLA's F-104 Zippers, the Chinese MiG-31 Foxhounds, rogue King Raptors and Comanches. As the F-16XL does not carry any air-to-air ordinances. Another thing to bear in mind is that the high explosive warheads of their cruise missiles are not very effective against heavily armored tanks, therefore the task of vehicle destruction should be best left to F-18 Hornets.

## Upgrades

**Countermeasures**

* Allows the F-16XL to deploy chaff to deviate enemy AA missiles and increase its resistance to AA weapons by 20%, available at the Levitation Pad at Rank 1.

**Straight Flow Engines**

* Increase the F-16XL's airspeed, available at the Strategy Center at Rank 5.

**Bomber Training**

* All F-16XLs will be built as veterans, available at General's Promotions at Rank 1.

## Assessment

Pros:

* Highly effective against infantries and structures, especially against defenses.
* Range can be boosted by Eye Designators, allowing them to strike from beyond AA range.
* Can be upgraded with countermeasures, pilots and straight flow engines to increase survivability.
* Quite cheap and fast to produce for an air unit.
* Early game unit. Available in Tier 1 with a Levitation Pad.

Cons:

* Missiles can be intercepted by PDL or deviated by ECM.
* Not very durable, as expected of an air unit.
* Vulnerable when on the ground and rearming.
* Not very effective against vehicles.
* Not all that powerful, five F-16XLs with no veterancy are incapable of destroying a Chinese War Factory.

## Quotes

The F-16XL's pilot sounds quite overly confident.

### When Selected

* Need some good old bombing?
* Here to ruin their day!
* They picked the wrong day to fight us!
* Awaiting orders.
* Where's my next sortie?
* Where's the party at?
* These bombs are no joke!
* XL stands for extra large blasts!
* Hey, give me an eye and they won't see what's coming to them.

### When Ordered to Move

* Good! I thought you almost forgot me...
* Heading there now!
* Copy that, loud and clear!
* Thrusters on!
* Inbound.
* Engaging afterburners.
* I'm on it.
* Let's do this!

### When Ordered to Guard an Area

* I hate guard shifts!
* Guard duty huh?
* I'm a bomber, not a damn fighter!
* What's the point of doing this?
* What? You serious?

### When Ordered to Attack

* We will be relentless!
* No mercy!
* Roger, target received.
* This one's for you!
* Here comes the BOOM!
* Parking lot coming right up.
* Take that in your face!
* They are wasted.
* American tax dollars at work!
* See how America spends its money!
* Oh boy, you won't like that!

### When Crashing

* Not good at all!
* Not good, not good!
* HOT! HOT!
* Mayday!
* MAYDAY, MAYDAY!
* Nah the stick's out, I'm going down!
* I'm hit, ejecting!
* It can't be true!

## Trivia

* In real-life, only two F-16XLs exist, they were originally conceived as technology demonstrators but entered the USAF's Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition, only to lose against the F-15E Strike Eagle, due to the fact that the F-16XL features major structural changes compared to the normal F-16 and therefore will be more difficult to mass-produce, and its single-engine design limits the jet's payload capacity and survivability. Currently, both F-16XL prototypes are stored at Edwards AFB and used by NASA for additional aeronautical research.
* Prior to Patch 3, The F-16XL reused the GDI Firehawk's voice lines from *Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars*.

## Gallery

The F-16XL in real-life, this picture is also used for the unit's cameo.F-16XL No.1, used by NASA to research the Cranked-Arrow Wing Aerodynamics Project.F-16XL No.2, used by NASA to research Supersonic Laminar Flow Control, note that No.2 is a two seater while No.1 is a single seater.