F-16A ADF

F-16A ADF

F-16A

F-16C

F-16A ADF

F-16A

F-16C

USA

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
12.7	12.7	13.0

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:200 000

Purchase:1 100 000

Show in game

Description

The F-16A Block 15 ADF Fighting Falcon is a rank VIII American jet fighter with a battle rating of 12.7 (AB/RB) and 13.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update "Apex Predators".

General info

Flight performance

Arrestor gear

Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 10 973 m2 146 km/h

Turn time19 s

Max altitude15 240 m

EnginePratt & Whitney F100-PW-220

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight15 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,093	2,063	15240	20.3	20.6	252.7	240.2	___
Upgraded	___	___		__._	__._	__._	__._

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	✓	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
0	482	N/A	___	___	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220		1	_,___ kg		___ kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel
1,470 kg	___		_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
Condition	100%	___%/WEP	_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel	MGW
Stationary	___ kgf	___ kgf	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Optimal	___ kgf (_ km/h)	___ kgf (_ km/h)	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear482 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 174 → 4 424

RB9 162 → 12 771

SB10 789 → 15 039

Total cost of modifications316 000

486 000

Talisman cost3 200

Crew training310 000

Experts1 100 000

Aces3 600

Research Aces1 350 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 320 / 500 %

256 / 256 / 256 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 330 New boosters Research: 24 000 Cost: 37 000 490 Wings repair Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 410 Engine Research: 100 000 Cost: 155 000 2 000	Fuselage repair Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 330 Airframe Research: 24 000 Cost: 37 000 490 Cover Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 410	Flares/Chaff Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 330 M60_belt_pack Research: 16 000 Cost: 24 000 330 G-suit Research: 24 000 Cost: 37 000 490 AIM-9L Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 410 M60_new_gun Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 410

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)

Offensive armament

The F-16A ADF is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
  • 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

Suspended armament

The F-16A ADF can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

• 1 x 300 gal drop tank
• 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
• 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles

Custom loadout options

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
AIM-7M Sparrow missiles			1		1
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles	1	1	1		1	1	1
300 gal drop tanks				1

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent acceleration and climb rate, the former of which helps the F-16 recover from the lower speeds that it can dogfight at
• Excellent energy retention
• Excellent maneuverability at low to medium speeds
• Decent top speed
• 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
• Six powerful missiles: up to six all aspect AIM-9Ls and up to two potent SARH AIM-7Ms
• Drop tank available to extend range
• Bubble canopy with excellent unobstructed 360° visibility gives great situational awareness in simulator mode

Cons:

• Lacks any air-to-ground suspended ordinance whatsoever
• Internal M61 cannon has a small ammo pool
• Very poor maneuverability at higher speeds (above around 850km/h) due to 9G G limiter
  • Staying at these higher speeds is ideal for general combat, but greatly limits maneuvering and dogfighting ability
  • At these speeds, poor nose pointing ability makes it troublesome to lock Sidewinders, get an ACM radar lock, or aim the gun
  • Only by going below these speeds (thus getting slow) does any semblance of dogfighting ability whatsoever begin to be gained
  • Acceleration can be “too good”: Poor high speed maneuverability combined with excellent acceleration and energy retention means heavy down-throttling and air braking is practically required to drop below these speeds to dogfight
• Very hot engine temperature
• Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner

History

In the mid-1980s, after the deactivation of the USAF Air Defense Command, the ANG (Air National Guard) was tasked with defending North American airspace from Soviet bombers. To complete this task, 270 F-16A/Bs were to be converted into ADFs (Air Defense Fighters) at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. General Dynamics carried out the first conversions and then sent kits to Ogden to complete the conversion. The ADF conversion included upgrading the AN/APG-66 radar to improve target acquisition of small targets, IFF for distinguishing friendlies and foes (AN/APX-109), and a 150,000-candlepower night spotlight for identification. 

The first F-16 ADF was delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1989. Conversions started from 1989 to 1992, with around 270 airframes converted to ADF F-16s. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was no longer a purpose for the F-16 ADF. The Air National Guard F-16s were to be slowly phased out and were either converted back to the original F-16A/B configuration or placed in storage. The North Dakota ANG had the last few F-16 ADFs in service until they were retired in 2007. Since the F-16 ADFs in storage had low flight hours, they were sold to other countries like Jordan (Peace Falcon program) and Thailand (Peace Naresuan IV program.)

Media

Images

• 

  4-blade "bird slicer" antenna on the nose of the F-16A ADF (AN/APX-109)

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.