OT: F-16 and F-15 varients?

[p_o_d_2_2]

hi, just wondering about some things: is the F-16 block 60 the most advanced version of the F-16? and is the UAE the only country that has them?

 

also, are all of the USAF F-15C's finished being upgraded and will just be phased out when more F-22's become available? or is there something planned called the Super Eagle(?) or something to keep some of the -15's in the fight? i read this somewhere and i don't know if its true or not.

[britgliderpilot]

hi, just wondering about some things: is the F-16 block 60 the most advanced version of the F-16? and is the UAE the only country that has them?

 

also, are all of the USAF F-15C's finished being upgraded and will just be phased out when more F-22's become available? or is there something planned called the Super Eagle(?) or something to keep some of the -15's in the fight? i read this somewhere and i don't know if its true or not.

 

The Block 60 is the most advanced off-the-shelf F-16 available. IIRC the latest Israeli F-16s are of a similar spec level, but using Israeli avionics and CFTs.

 

 

Again IIRC, some F-15s will be removed from service as the F-22 starts coming through in numbers . . . . but there won't be enough F-22s to entirely replace them.

 

AESA radar, JHMTD, Aim-9X, and AIM-120D should keep the Eagle going and competitive for some time ;)

I seem to recall some mutterings about engine upgrades, but not certain about that.

[Pilotasso]

F-16 Block 60's (operated only by the Emirates) are the most potent F-16's arround along with the japanese F-2 exoctic variation and the Israeli F-16I.

 

But for those price tags you would be better off with 4rth GEn aircraft like the Typhoon and the F-35 IMHO.

 

The most usual modern Falcons are of block 52+'s wich are now operated by Greece and Poland.

 

USA operates block standard 52 mostly.

 

Most other Users are now on F-16AM's wich are comparable with block 50's but with slighly less potent engines and radars.

 

All these Versions except the F-2 can carry pretty much the same weaponry, if not thats due to each country own weapons purchases.

 

The Japanese f-2 Carries a mix of indigenous AG Anti ship missiles and AA missiles, but an active BVR missile is still being developed for it, wich will rock when used with its AESA radar (yes, it has one).

 

Portugal, and Pakistan, as well and the US national guard still operate block 15's, but at least the Portuguese and American examples are fast shrinking down in numbers due to upgrade replacements.

 

These planes can only take AIM-9's, Iron bombs and AGM-65's. They also carry the basic APG-66 with very modest perfomance and are as hard to use as the dumbed down APG-63's in LOMAC :) With the advent of modern BVR missiles and MFD's and smart radars, they would be seriously threatened. So they are doomed to disapear. Ours will be all gone by 2010.

 

OT: Forgot about Indonesian and Venezuelan block 15's. The indonesians are still (barely) flying without replacement in sight, while the venezuelans are to be shelved soon due to politcs (replaced by Su-30's).

[ViperEagle]

The last Block 15's in the Air National Guard were ADF's from North Dakota. They're being sent to the boneyard as we speak.