Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation.
                         The Fighting Falcon has key features including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system helps to make it a nimble aircraft.

                              

The F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", but "Viper" is commonly used by its pilots.

The F-16 is a single-engine, very maneuverable, supersonic, multi-role tactical fighter aircraft; it was designed to be a cost-effective combat "workhorse" that can perform various missions and maintain around-the-clock readiness. It is much smaller and lighter than predecessors, but uses advanced aerodynamics and avionics.

The F-16 was designed to be relatively inexpensive to build and simpler to maintain than earlier-generation fighters. It has a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, providing power to climb and accelerate vertically.

• Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976.
•  The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 nations.
• The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 locations for mounting weapons and other mission equipment.

Unit cost	F-16A/B: US$14.6 million (1998 dollars) F-16C/D: US$18.8 million (1998 dollars)