F-16AJ
| This page is about the Japanese jet fighter F-16AJ. For other versions, see F-16 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The F-16AJ Fighting Falcon represents the proposed introduction of an F-16 closely resembling a YF-16 into JASDF service, as suggested by General Dynamics. The JASDF had plans to select a winner from 13 candidates proposed by different aircraft companies as part of a program to replace its ageing fleet of F-104Js and to serve alongside their F-4EJ aircraft. Ultimately, the program came down to a choice between the F-14, F-15, and F-16 where the F-15 emerged as the victor, becoming the F-15J.
Introduced in Update "Sky Guardians", the F-16AJ is currently one of only two truly multirole F-16s in the game, alongside the ROCAF's F-16A MLU. The F-16AJ also marks the introduction of the AGM-65 series into JASDF service, providing much-anticipated precision air-to-ground weaponry for Japanese pilots. With one of the latest airborne radars in the game and weapon systems mostly identical to other F-16 variants, the F-16AJ now presents a good option for players who require both air interception and ground attack capabilities. Its available payloads will not disappoint players.
General info
Flight performance
| 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 | 2,103 | 2,072 | 15240 | 20.0 | 20.2 | 262.9 | 250.8 | 850 |
| Upgraded | 2,209 | 2,156 | 19.0 | 19.5 | 350.9 | 305.0 | ||
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 | + | - | ||
| 1,555 | 482 | - | 470 | 463 | ~__ | ~__ |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < ___ | < ___ | < ___ | > ___ |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full internal fuel) | |||
| Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 | 1 | 7,690 kg | 392 kg/m2 | |||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | ||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 8m fuel | 20m fuel | 29m fuel | ||
| 1,470 kg | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | 8,662 kg | 9,913 kg | 10,930 kg | 16,848 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | |||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 8m fuel | 20m fuel | 29m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 6,490 kgf | 8,985 kgf | 1.04 | 0.90 | 0.82 | 0.53 |
| Optimal | 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) |
15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
1.76 | 1.53 | 1.39 | 0.90 |
Interestingly the F-16 AJ is the only F-16 variant to feature Air-to-Air missiles and lighter airframe.
Survivability and armour
As a result of its role as a light fighter aircraft, the F-16AJ lacks any armour protection at all. In addition to this, a significant portion of the F-16AJ's internal volume is occupied by self-sealing fuel tanks, making the aircraft prone to being set on fire when hit. Generally, the F-16AJ will suffer a significant hit to its performance when critically damaged to the point where the aircraft can irrecoverably spin out of control if turning too hard with asymmetrical damage. Finally, the F-16AJ only has one engine, meaning that engine damage is critical. The F-16AJ's smaller overall size and superb mid speed manoeuvrability lends well to it being able to get out of the way of enemy gunfire in close range dogfights.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | Lead indicator |
 |
|
|
|
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Offensive armament
The F-16AJ is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm JM61A1 cannon, port wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
- 60 x countermeasures
Suspended armament
The F-16AJ can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs | 3 | 3, 6 | 1 | 3, 6 | 3 | |||||
| 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs | 3 | 3, 6 | 1 | 3, 6 | 3 | |||||
| 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets | 57 | 57 | ||||||||
| AGM-65B missiles | 1, 3 | 1, 3 | ||||||||
| AIM-7F Sparrow missiles | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| AIM-9P Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 300 gal drop tanks | 1 | |||||||||
| Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg | ||||||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
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 at any speed and highly manoeuvrable at low to medium speeds
- Excellent 20 mm Vulcan cannon, with high precision, fire rate, and damage
- Able to carry a drop tank to increase flight time
- Can carry 6 powerful air-to-air missiles, such as 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder or 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder with 2 x AIM-7F
- 360° unobstructed bubble canopy perfect for simulator battles
- Capable of carrying an extremely diverse wide range of bombs, rockets and AGM-65Bs
Cons:
- Internal M61 cannon has a low ammo pool and trigger time
- No thermal imaging pod for ground attack purposes
- Control surfaces compress above 850 km/h, greatly decreasing the manoeuvrability above this speed
- Very high fuel consumption with afterburner on, and high engine temperature
History
Historically, the JASDF was not a user of the F-16 series (though USINDOPACOM operates the F-16C in Japanese airbases). In the 1970s, the Japanese government was seeking to replace its outdated fleet of F-104J Starfighters in response to advances in the aircraft technology of neighbouring countries. As such, they launched a program and eventually got 13 proposals from different aircraft companies, including the Grumman F-14, McDonnell Douglas F-15, and General Dynamics F-16. After much consideration and testing, the program was narrowed down to just the F-14, F-15, and F-16. Discussion and flight tests continued and the F-15 prevailed as the winner of the competition, shattering any hopes for the F-16AJ, and ultimately any F-16 to see service with the JASDF.
Even though the F-16 proposal failed, a derivative of the F-16 was chosen by Japan in order to serve as a multirole aircraft for the FS-X program. This aircraft ultimately became known as the Mitsubishi F-2, which is still in service with the JASDF today.
Media
- Skins
Market
See also
- Related development
External links
| General Dynamics Corporation | |
|---|---|
| Jet Fighters | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| Strike Aircraft | F-111A · F-111F |
| Export | ▄F-16A ADF · ▄F-16A · ▄F-16AM · ␗F-16A MLU · F-16AJ · Netz · F-16D Barak II · F-16C Barak II |
| F-111C | |
| See also | SABCA |
| Japan jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| IJNAS | |
| Experimental | Kikka |
| Reconnaissance | R2Y2 Kai V1 · R2Y2 Kai V2 · R2Y2 Kai V3 |
| IJAAS | |
| Fighters | Ki-200 |
| JASDF | |
| Fighters | F-86F-30 ▅ · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅ |
| F-104J | |
| F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · F-4EJ Kai Phantom II | |
| F-15J · F-15J(M) | |
| F-16AJ | |
| F-1 | |
| Trainers | T-2 Early · T-2 |
| Foreign | |
| Thailand | ▄AV-8S · ▄F-5E FCU |
