Nice! Invite sent?
This is a real USN F-16N, saw it at the Palm Springs Air Museum last Thursday while on holiday. I thought the camo was a bit odd ---
Ex- navy bird, so I'm guessing dissimilar air combat training Aggressor?
Robert: Are those your lily white winter Canadian calf's? If yes, keep up the good work.
Indeed - the F-16Ns were specifically designed for the Navy to be used as agressor aircraft in a dissimilar combat environment. The airframes featured a strenghtened structure and although derivatives of the C/D-models they had the older APG-66 radar installed.
Quote from: GTX_Admin on March 05, 2016, 03:12:18 AMIndeed - the F-16Ns were specifically designed for the Navy to be used as agressor aircraft in a dissimilar combat environment. The airframes featured a strenghtened structure and although derivatives of the C/D-models they had the older APG-66 radar installed.I thought I read somewhere that what got called the F-16N's were aircraft that were 'dumb-downed' F-16's to be sold to another country which got sanctions placed against it before the aircraft were delivered. Then GD were left with a bunch of aircraft, the solution was to make them Navy aggressors and have the USN buy them. Just didn't think the camo was real or not.
Quote from: kitnut617 on March 05, 2016, 08:32:42 AMQuote from: GTX_Admin on March 05, 2016, 03:12:18 AMIndeed - the F-16Ns were specifically designed for the Navy to be used as agressor aircraft in a dissimilar combat environment. The airframes featured a strenghtened structure and although derivatives of the C/D-models they had the older APG-66 radar installed.I thought I read somewhere that what got called the F-16N's were aircraft that were 'dumb-downed' F-16's to be sold to another country which got sanctions placed against it before the aircraft were delivered. Then GD were left with a bunch of aircraft, the solution was to make them Navy aggressors and have the USN buy them. Just didn't think the camo was real or not.Robert, I believe you are referring to the F-16/79 FX Export Fighter Program which was a GE J-79 turbojet engine powered version for export to countries not eligible to receive the standard F-16 powered by the PW F-100 engines.
Production totalled 26 airframes of which 22 are singel-seat F-16N's and 4 are double-seat TF-16N's. The aircraft were in service between 1988 and 1998. At that time hair cracks were discovered in several bulckheads. The Navy didn't have the resources to replace them, so the aircraft were placed into storage at AMARC, ultimately being replaced by embargoed ex-Pakistani F-16s in 2003.
Did the embargoed ex-Pakistani ones also get converted and designated F-16N?
