Air National Guard and defense industry leaders and distinguished visitors commemorated this addition to the F-16’s arsenal of equipment recently in a ceremony held on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The group gathered in front of an AESA-equipped F-16 assigned to the DCANG’s 113th Wing, the first unit in the Air Force to receive this upgraded capability.
“This has not been without a lot of labor, without a lot of advocacy, and without a lot of people saying, ‘I don't have another dollar to spend on an old F-16,’” said Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, ANG director, who served as an F-16 pilot in both the Air Force and ANG.
The provisioning of the AESA radar in the F-16 legacy fleet was a result of the combined effort of the defense industry, Congress, the U.S. Air Force, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The implementation of this radar technology, which complements the capabilities of fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, revitalizes legacy aircraft and cost-effectively integrates them into the current generation of assets.
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