F-16C Block 30

[jaguara5]

 BFM monster. Essential for late cold war scenarios. Fits good in the iraq map (desert storm). 

Many operators around the world. Theoretically,   it doesnt' require a build from scratch (?). 

Requested several times here in the forum and discord (so there is interest about it). 

 

Edited September 27 by jaguara5

[upyr1]

I've said this before I'd have no problems with more variants of the existing planes we have, I would however like new modules first. However when we get new variants of existing planes I'd love to see an a variant price system where the price will be based on how code the new variant uses.  I proabbaly would buy the Blck 30  if I have the cash

[F-2]

I have the F110-GE-100 booklet from GE I would be happy to make available

the national electronics museum has a APG-68(v)1 manual which is actually quite different from the (V)5.

 

definitely a something for everyone aircraft. 

[Kev2go]

On 9/28/2025 at 9:47 AM, F-2 said:

I have the F110-GE-100 booklet from GE I would be happy to make available

the national electronics museum has a APG-68(v)1 manual which is actually quite different from the (V)5.

 

definitely a something for everyone aircraft. 

 

did block 30's get retrofitted with the V5 eventually? or did they continue to retain the v1 well into the 90s or even 2000s?

Edited October 1 by Kev2go

[celestHawk]

36 minutes ago, Kev2go said:

 

did block 30's get retrofitted with the V5 eventually? or did they continue to retain the v1 well into the 90s or even 2000s?

Typical F-16C Block 30 had the AN/APG-68 family (earlier V-series software/hardware typical of 1980s/early 1990s OFP).

Block-50 commonly built or retrofitted with later AN/APG-68(V) upgrades (V5/V7 depending on lot and MLU), providing improved range, modes and SAR/GMTI growth options.

Also the Block 30 Often fitted with the GE F110 on many (Block-30 introduced the “big-mouth” MCID inlet for GE engines on GE-powered examples). Some early Block-30s mixed engines but most GE-powered Block-30s have the larger inlet.

On 9/27/2025 at 3:33 PM, jaguara5 said:

 BFM monster. Essential for late cold war scenarios. Fits good in the iraq map (desert storm). 

Many operators around the world. Theoretically,   it doesnt' require a build from scratch (?). 

Requested several times here in the forum and discord (so there is interest about it). 

 

I guess that is some what good starting point: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3330321/

Edited October 1 by celestHawk

[F-2]

5 hours ago, Kev2go said:

 

did block 30's get retrofitted with the V5 eventually? or did they continue to retain the v1 well into the 90s or even 2000s?

As far as I’m aware they kept the (v)1 as the planned (v)10 upgrade never happened. I can’t rule out that with the usaf jets getting apg-83 that spare (v)5 aren’t being given to older jets (Greece is doing something similar with its old v(9))

[bies]

Well, Block 30 later received radar, avionics and even engine uppgrade (and more mass...), but the author of the topis is talking about original 1980s Cold War/ Desert Storm Block 30, lighter, with less spohisticated avionics. It would be a great counterpart for 1980s jets. Suited for Germany and Iraq map.

(2000s modernised Block 30 would be very similar to our Block 50 we already have in terms of avionics and performance, it would be rather pointless.)

Edited October 2 by bies

[upyr1]

On 10/1/2025 at 11:18 PM, bies said:

Well, Block 30 later received radar, avionics and even engine uppgrade (and more mass...), but the author of the topis is talking about original 1980s Cold War/ Desert Storm Block 30, lighter, with less spohisticated avionics. It would be a great counterpart for 1980s jets. Suited for Germany and Iraq map.

(2000s modernised Block 30 would be very similar to our Block 50 we already have in terms of avionics and performance, it would be rather pointless.)

I assumed that is what the thread was about a block 30 in a ODS configuation. I figure Ideal the F-Teens modules should have had 3 maybe 4 variants .  An early A, an early C (Desert Storm Configuration), and a late model C (early 2ks variant we have). I get that might not be possible to do the multipack. 

[Kev2go]

On 10/1/2025 at 4:52 AM, F-2 said:

As far as I’m aware they kept the (v)1 as the planned (v)10 upgrade never happened. I can’t rule out that with the usaf jets getting apg-83 that spare (v)5 aren’t being given to older jets (Greece is doing something similar with its old v(9))

IS the APG 68 v1 that much different the v5? not in terms of hardware but as far as user interface goes from footage i saw FCR page looks very similar if not identical for A2A/A2G modes.

 

similarly  just like the APG 66 v2 on F16A MLU jets the FCR functions all looked like APG68V5 minus the Enhanced ground mode which V5 didn't have which makes me think ED used the MLU manuals floating on the internet as one of thier sources for F16C block 50 module but i digress.

Edited Sunday at 04:41 PM by Kev2go

[F-2]

3 hours ago, Kev2go said:

IS the APG 68 v1 that much different the v5? not in terms of hardware but as far as user interface goes from footage i saw FCR page looks very similar if not identical for A2A/A2G modes.

 

similarly  just like the APG 66 v2 on F16A MLU jets the FCR functions all looked like APG68V5 minus the Enhanced ground mode which V5 didn't have which makes me think ED used the MLU manuals floating on the internet as one of thier sources for F16C block 50 module but i digress.

Interface? Not really

 

modes are different though

Quote

RANGE WHILE SEARCH
UPLOOK SEARCH

AIR COMBAT MANEUVERING
VELOCITY SEARCH

TRACK WHILE SCAN
SINGLE TARGET TRACK 

SITUATION AWARENESS MODE
AIR-TO-GROUND RANGING

GROUND MAP 
SEA

FIXED TARGET TRACK 
GROUND MOVING TARGET INDICATOR 

GROUND MOVING TARGET TRACK 
BEACON 

 

Modes are a bit different with different PRF. HPRF is only used on VS I believe. VS probably doesn’t provide Track like VSR. Uplook is probably a LPRF modes.

 

basically is like a mix of APG-66 and the (V)5 we are familiar with. It’s still a good radar and comparable to the (V)5, it’s still based on AMRAAM use.

[Kev2go]

1 hour ago, F-2 said:

Interface? Not really

 

Not really? In that video That fcr page looks about the same from what I remember in dcs f16, except of course the dcs Viper has color displays. The general software layout has been maintained.

My experience flying earlier block f16s virtually pretty much validates what I'm saying that it's a very similar experience. You could hop in a block 30 and only really need to account some older HUD symbology ( if its ODS era or older)  and getting used to not having newer features you had on the blk 50, namely lack of , HMD , datalink , and targeting pod. 

Edited Sunday at 09:04 PM by Kev2go

[F-2]

24 minutes ago, Kev2go said:

 

Not really? In that video That fcr page looks about the same from what I remember in dcs f16, except of course the dcs Viper has color displays. The general software layout has been maintained.

My experience flying earlier block f16s virtually pretty much validates what I'm saying that it's a very similar experience. You could hop in a block 30 and only really need to account some older HUD symbology ( if its ODS era or older)  and getting used to not having newer features you had on the blk 50, namely lack of , HMD , datalink , and targeting pod. 

I screwed up. I mean your right it’s not really different 

[jaguara5]

Shouldn't we also with the Block 30 early variant be able to simulate  a kind of ''pseudo'' F-16N?  I mean FM peformance wise they should (?) be close, also they have   similar HUD symbology (despite the APG 66).  

[bies]

F-16N had tons (literally a ton) of equimpent removed, to have phenomenal kinematic performance. It had ~7400kg empty weight and 128kN GE engine, it was some ridiculous 1,73 to 1 empty weight T/W. Way higher then any aircraft it was supposed to simulate as aggressor. And it was obviously full envelope 9G which MiG-29 and especially Su-27 lacked.

Edited Monday at 09:03 PM by bies

[MAXsenna]

The F-16N was like a Ferrari F40 up in the sky.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Vampyre]

17 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

The F-16N was like a Ferrari F40 up in the sky.

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk
 

...and with the exact same combat capability as it was physically incapable of firing weapons. It didn't even have a cannon.