The F-16A/B was the first production version of the Fighting Falcon, the A being the single-seat version and the B being the two-seat version. Aside from the second seat, the A and B versions are essentially identical and have the same performance envelope and armament fit.
Unfortunately, the USAF decided not to use the tried-and-true shorthand for describing minor changes to the Fighting Falcon that are introduced on the production line. That is, it did not use such designations as F-16A-10-CF, F-16A-15-CF to distinguish between minor variations in the F-16A series introduced on the production line. Instead, F-16s are referred to by a rather bewildering set of Block Numbers, MSIP stages, and OCUs. The acronym MSIP stands for "Multinational Staged Improvement Program", and is a blanket name for a program in which changes are incorporated in the F-16s as they come off the production line, rather than marrying them to a Multi-Stage Improvement Program, as was done for the F-15 Eagle. The acronyms are the same, but the way that the two programs work is quite different.
The F-16A/B was built in Blocks 1, 5, 10 and 15. However, it is definitely incorrect to refer to the F-16 as F-16A-1-CF, F-16A-5-CF, F-16A-10-CF, or F-16A-15-CF.
The F-16A/B was initially powered by the F100-PW-200 turbofan, rated at 12,240 lb.s.t. dry, 14,670 lb.s.t. full military, and 23,830 lb.s.t. with afterburning. Block 1 F-16A/Bs were the first 43 early production aircraft that immediately followed the two YF-16s and the eight FSD F-16As. They can be distinguished from all subsequent Fighting Falcons by having a black radome. There were 21 Block 1 F-16As and 22 Block 2 F-16Bs.
The first flight of a Block 1 F-16A (78-0001) took place on August 7, 1978. The first aircraft in this block entered service with the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, on January 6, 1979, with IOC being achieved on October 1, 1980. Surviving Block 1 F-16A/Bs were retrofitted with minor equipment changes and brought up to F-16A/B Block 10 standards in 1982-84.
Pilots flying the early Block 1 F-16As complained that the black radome stuck out like a sore thumb during simulated air-to-air combat and made it easy for the enemy to visually acquire the F-16. On Block 5, the gray radome was introduced, which became standard for all later Fighting Falcons. There were 99 F-16As and 27 F-16Bs built to Block 5 standards, which were ordered in Fiscal year 1978-79. Surviving Block 5 F-16A/Bs were brought up to Block 10 standards in 1982-84.
Block 5 F-16A/Bs destined for Israel have minor (but unspecified) modifications which are unique to Israel. Long after entering service, they may have had improvements which include the installation of Loral Rapport III electronic countermeasures equipment and new chaff/flare dispensers, possibly AN/ALE-40s. Some Israeli aircraft may have the Elta 2021B radar in place of the APG-66.
Block 10 consisted of 169 aircraft (145 F-16As and 24 F-16Bs), ordered in fiscal year 1979-80. Block 10 aircraft incorporated some minor internal changes. Beginning with the Block 10 series, the USAF introduced a letter suffix within each block, with the letter initially signifying little more than the order in which batches of aircraft were produced. This letter suffix took on greater significance in later Blocks. Most surviving Block 1 and 5 F-16s were later upgraded to Block 10 standards, which included the graying of the radomes. Aircraft belong to the original four NATO users were also brought up to the Block 10 standard. These aircraft are, however, deemed unsuitable for future upgrading.
24 Block 10 F-16s were modified for close-air support duties with the 138th Fighter Squadron of the New York Air National Guard. They were equipped with a General Electric GPU-5/A Pave Claw centerline pod, which housed the GAU-13/A four-barreled derivative of the seven-barreled GAU-8/A cannon used by the A-10A. This gun was intended for use against a variety of battlefield threats, including armor. However, the gun was never satisfactorily integrated with the F-16, and when Desert Storm came along, the 138th Fighter Squadron deployed its F-16s to the Gulf with traditional F-16 weaponry. The New York ANG's "Pave Claw" F-16A/Bs were replaced by F-16C/Ds in 1994. The 24 gunpod- capable F-16s are now in storage at the Davis-Monthan AFB facility.
Beginning in 1993, some Block 10 F-16A/Bs (including many which began life as Blocks 1 and 5 but were upgraded to Block 10) were turned over to the 82nd Training Wing at Sheppard AFB in Texas for use as non-flying instructional airframes for the training of crew chiefs. These planes were redesignated GF-16A, where the G prefix means that the aircraft is a non-flying instructional airframe.
All earlier machines in Block 1, 5 and 10 can be identified by a black bulge and a blade UHF antenna underneath the radome. They also all feature the small square-tipped horizontal tailplane.
Specification of F-16A:
One Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan, rated at 12,240 lb.s.t. dry, 14,670 lb.s.t. full military, and 23,830 lb.s.t. with afterburning Maximum speed: Mach 2.05 at 40,000 feet. Service ceiling 55,000 feet. Maximum range 2400 miles. Initial climb rate 62,000 feet per minute Dimensions: wingspan 32 feet 9 1/2 inches, length 49 feet 3 1/2 inches, height 16 feet 8 1/2 inches, wing area 300 square feet. Weights: 16,285 pounds empty, 25,281 pounds combat, 37,500 pounds maximum takeoff. Armament: 0ne 20-mm M61A1 cannon with 515 rounds. An AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile can be carried at each wingtip. There are three hardpoints for external stores underneath each wing, plus a centerline point. In the long-range intercept role, the aircraft can carry an AIM-7 Sparrow or AIM-120A AMRAAM on each outboard underwing station. A 300 US-gallon droptank can be carried on the centerline station, and a 370 US-gallon droptank can be carried on each inboard underwing pylon.
Serials of F-16A/B:
72-1567/1568 General Dynamics YF-16 Fighting Falcon
1567 modified as CCV test vehicle.
Restored to original configuration for display
at Hampton Roads History Center, Virginia.
75-745/750 General Dynamics YF-16A Fighting Falcon
745 modified as F-16/101 with GE F101 engine.
745 is on display at WPAFB marked as 79-0317
747 modified as F-16XL/B with cranked-arrow
wing. Transferred to NASA as 848
749 modified as F-16XL/A with cranked-arrow
wing. Transferred to NASA as 849
750 modified as AFTI test bed.
75-751/752 General Dynamics YF-16B Fighting Falcon
752 modified as Wild Weasel test bed.
752 later modified as F-16/79 with GE J79
engine.
78-001/021 General Dynamics F-16A Block 1 Fighting Falcon
78-022/027 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
78-038/076 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
78-077/098 General Dynamics F-16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon
78-099/115 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
78-116/132 General Dynamics F-16A Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-01/FA-17)
78-133/140 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-18/FA-25)
78-141/145 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-26/FA-30)
78-146/152 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10A Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-31/FA-37)
78-153/158 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-38/FA-43)
78-159/161 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-44/FA-46)
78-162/167 General Dynamics F-16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FB-01/FB-06)
78-168/171 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FB-07/FB-10)
78-172 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10A Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FB-11)
78-173 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FB-12)
78-174/176 General Dynamics F-16A Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (E-174/E-176)
78-177/188 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (E-177/E-188)
78-189/194 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (E-189/E-194)
78-195/197 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10A Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (E-195/E-197)
78-198/199 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (E-198/E-199)
78-200/203 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (E-200/E-203)
78-204/205 General Dynamics F-16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (ET-204/ET-205)
78-206/208 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (ET-206/ET-208)
78-209 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10 Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (ET-209)
78-210 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10A Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (ET-210)
78-211 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Denmark (ET-211)
78-212/223 General Dynamics F-16A Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-212/J-223)
78-224/237 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-224/J-237)
78-238/242 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-238/J-242)
78-243/249 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10A Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-243/J-249)
78-250/253 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-250/J-253)
78-254/257 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-254/J-257)
78-258 General Dynamics F-16A Block 15 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-258)
78-259/264 General Dynamics F-16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-259/J-264)
0259 was was J-259, and was first Fokker-
built F-16
78-265/266 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-265/J-266)
78-267 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-267)
78-268 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10A Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-268)
78-269 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-269)
78-270/271 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10C Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Holland (J-270/271)
78-272/274 General Dynamics F-16A Block 1 Fighting Falcon
Built by Fokker for Norway (272/274)
78-275/284 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
Built by Fokker for Norway (275/284)
78-285/289 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
Built by Fokker for Norway (285/289)
78-290/293 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10A Fighting Falcon
Built by Fokker for Norway (290/293)
78-294/299 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
Built by Fokker for Norway (294/299)
78-300 General Dynamics F-16A Block 15 Fighting Falcon
Built by Fokker for Norway (300)
78-301/302 General Dynamics F-16B Block 1 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Norway (301/302)
78-303/304 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Norway (303/304)
78-305 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10 Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Norway (305)
78-306 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10B Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Norway (306)
78-307 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10C Fighting Falcon
built by Fokker for Norway (307)
78-308/467 General Dynamics F-16A/B Fighting Falcon
ordered by Iran but cancelled. first 55
serials were reallocated.
78-308/325 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
78-326/335 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
78-336/0345 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10A Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
78-346/349 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
78-350/354 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
78-355/362 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel.
79-288 General Dynamics F-16A Block 5 Fighting Falcon
79-289/357 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10 Fighting Falcon
79-358/385 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10A Fighting Falcon
79-386/409 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
0408 converted to GF-16A
79-410/419 General Dynamics F-16B Block 5 Fighting Falcon
79-420/423 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10 Fighting Falcon
79-424/428 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10A Fighting Falcon
79-429/432 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10B Fighting Falcon
80-474/478 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10B Fighting Falcon
80-479/505 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
0495 w/o 4/21/93
80-506/540 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10D Fighting Falcon
80-623/624 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10B Fighting Falcon
80-625/628 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10C Fighting Falcon
80-629/636 General Dynamics F-16B Block 10D Fighting Falcon
80-649/659 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
80-660/668 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10D Fighting Falcon
exported to Israel
80-3538/3540 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10C Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-47/49).
80-3541/3546 General Dynamics F-16A Block 10D Fighting Falcon
built by SABCA for Belgium (FA-50/55).
I am sure that this list is incomplete. I would appreciate hearing
from anyone who has any additions or corrections.
Sources:
-
Combat Aircraft F-16, Doug Richardson, Crescent, 1992.
-
General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors, John Wegg,
Naval Institute Press, 1990.
-
The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers,
Orion, 1987.
-
United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough
and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
-
F-16 Fighting Falcon--A Major Review of the West's Universal
Warplane, Robert F. Dorr, World Airpower Journal, Spring 1991.
-
The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft, Gallery, 1989.
-
Modern Military Aircraft--F-16 Viper, Lou Drendel, Squadron/Signal
Publications, 1992.
-
Lockheed F-16 Variants, Part 1, World Airpower Journal, Volume 21,
Summer 1995.
- E-mail from Ben Marselis
