First of all I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers a very Happy Diwali and may evil in your life overcomes with good. I am also very grateful for the kind of response I got on the first part so without further delay let's get into it. We are going to cover the second contender of the upcoming competition which is the famed and the most talked about fighter in Indian defence pages and forums the F-16 V or the Block 70 which according to Lockheed Martin is made for India, Made by India. The Super Viper comes from a long family of F-16 Family which is one of the most widely used fourth generation combat aircraft all over the world with more than 4,200 aircraft produced not only in America but also has several foreign production lines . The F-16 V has been called the most advanced F-16 ever by Lockheed Martin and according to many experts and aviation enthusiast the most advanced 4th generation fighter aircraft right now. Engine The fighter jet is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 or a General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan engine. The F100-PW-229 develops a thrust of 29,100lb, whereas the F110-GE-129 generates a power of 29,500lb. The power-plant provides the aircraft with a maximum speed of Mach 2 and a range of 3,200 km. The F-16V has conformal fuel tanks thus they do not take up the hardpoints for the oradananc. Radar, Sensors and communication systems The F-16V packs the most powerful radar systems among it's competitors. It has an APG-83 SABR is a high-performance multi function AESA radar. This radar is being used to upgrade all the F-16 in service with the American Air force and the Taiwanese Air Force. According to it's makers most of the technology used has been derived from the F-35's AN/APG-81 radar. The most advanced fire control radar in the world with extremely powerful electronic warfare capabilities. The main advantage of this radar is it's ability to provide very well detailed images to the pilot and classifying targets on it's own. The beams of the radar can track large amounts of area and a good number of target detection, tracking and identification can be carried out under all weather conditions. The image quality in the air to ground mode has been classified as satellite quality. The F-16V also packs one of the most important system which is the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS) which helps in the prevention of CFIT (controlled flight into terrain) based mishaps one of the major reason for peacetime pilot deaths. This systems identifies if the aircraft is on a collision course towards the terrain and temporarily assumes control of the aircraft while carrying out certain maneuver to put the pilot and the aircraft out of harm's way. The maneuver is a roll upright and a hard 5G pull. This happens if the pilot is not taking any action. A recent declassified video showed how an F-16 saved it's pilot's life. The aircraft also carries the advanced SNIPER targeting pod which provides the viper superior air to air and air to ground targeting capabilities. The SNIPER pod can also identify and track other aircraft through their IR signature. It features exceptional stability and the ability to take high resolution images in conditions with light or no light. Due to it's advanced system the SNIPER fitted to an aircraft can perform ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) roles eliminating the need for dedicated ISR aircraft for the nations with tight pockets. The F-16V also packs the Link 16 (data link system) for the sharing of data with other aircraft and ground systems. It is jam resistant with transfer speed of up to 1 Mbit/s. Cockpit and Weapons The F-16V features a digital cockpit with a 8x6 centre pedestal display along with multi-function displays.The advanced glass cockpit of the F-16V incorporates upgraded mission computer, and state-of-the-art avionics, including colour multi-function displays, a large high-resolution centre pedestal display (CPD), helmet-mounted cueing system, and a high-volume, high-speed data bus. The CPD enhances situational awareness of the crew by supporting real-time processing and imaging of flight safety data. The F-16V is also equipped with an upgraded programmable displays generator, a Link-16 theatre data link, identification friend or foe (IFF) and HF/UHF/VHF radio communications. The single, high-performance, modular mission computer (MMC) on the F-16V is a replacement of the three original computers. It provides higher computing power to the avionics and weapon systems, while offering improved situational awareness, air-to-air strike performances, accurate targeting and information capabilities. The gigabit ethernet-based architecture enables the control of electronic warfare displays and avionics systems of the aircraft. The advanced fighter jet is also fitted with precision GPS navigation and automated ground collision avoidance system (AGCAS), which provides the pilot with alerts of imminent collision with the ground and controls the aircraft to avoid a collision in case of pilot's unresponsiveness to visual cues. The display systems have been designed by Elbit of Israel and it also features the high level of automation in use with the F-35 to reduce the pilot load and allow better situational awareness. The F-16V can be armed with a range of air-to-air missiles (AAMs), including AIM-9 Sidewinder, Magic II and ASRAAM short-range AAMs, as well as AIM-7, Sky Flash and AIM-120 medium-range AAMs. The high off-bore-sight, infrared AAMs such as AIM-9X, Python IV, AIM-132 ASRAAM and IRIS-T will also be offered. The aircraft also supports the integration of AGM-119/AGM-84/AGM-65G anti-ship missiles, and AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground tactical missile, as well as Paveway laser-guided bombs, GBU-15 bombs and wind corrected munitions dispenser weapons. What would India gain from selecting the F-16V over other fighters ? The F-16V if selected would make India the hub for global support and maintenance for the F-16 fighters in service across the globe also keeping the aircraft viable till late 2040s. Lockheed Martin promised regular block updates to the F-16 jets and it has been doing so. The F-16V packs technology and systems which can easily confront Chinese 4th generation fighter jets and the Indian F-16s wouldn't even need to fight the Pakistani F-16s because India would have a say whether Indian made jets or parts would be sold to Pakistan or any other country as a matter of fact (It's not known how effective it would be) leading to the grounding of the fighters in service. It will be given full access to technology and the ability to export the aircraft to Taiwan which can be used as a strategic trump card. Lockheed Martin also made unsolicited calls for helping DRDO and ADA in the field of stealth technology which Lockheed Martin has perfected. The F-16 has a lower logistical costs and exceeds the payload of the Gripen E when it comes to single engine fighter jet. The F-16 is a combat proven platform for those claiming it to be a 40 year old platform should also remember that the Gripen E might be evolutionary but not revolutionary. Image credits: Click on the images Written by - Sarthak Das make sure to like our facebook page. |
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