The US Air Force may have had the rug pulled from under its major F-16 upgrade project, but a series of new initiatives are gathering pace.
UNDER THE RADAR
TAKING A LOOK AT THE HOTTEST TOPICS IN MODERN AIR POWER
THE US AIR Force authorized a significant life extension for its F-16s in April. Following extensive fatigue testing by Lockheed Martin, the USAF says it is content to clear the ‘Viper’ airframe for 12,000 hours, an extension to the current 8,000-hour limit. A service life extension program (SLEP) of structural modification s is now planned in order to clear the USAF’s Block 40/42/50/52 aircraft for service until 2048 and beyond. This is likely to kick-start a number of accompanying avionics upgrade projects, designed to underpin the front-line F-16 fleet for another three decades.
‘This accomplishment is the result of more than seven years of test, development, design, analysis and partnership between the USAF and Lockheed Martin,’ said Susan Ouzts, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 program. ‘Combined with F-16 avionics modernization programs like the F-16V, SLEP modification s demonstrate that the Fighting Falcon remains a highly capable and affordable fourth-generation option for the …
