Most of the information in this fact sheet was obtained from the US Airforce site. All information is general and not varient specific. If you find some wrong information, or can add anything please e-mail me.

Description
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and many other allied nations.

History and Features
The F-16A, first flew in December 1976. The first operational F-16A was delivered in January 1979 to the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

All F-16s delivered since November 1981 have built-in structural and wiring provisions and systems architecture that permit expansion of the multirole flexibility to perform precision strike, night attack and beyond-visual-range interception missions. This improvement program led to the F-16C and F-16D aircraft, and incorporate the latest cockpit control and display technology. All active units and many Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units have converted to the F-16C/D.

USAF F-16 fighters were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm, where more sorties were flown than with any other aircraft. These fighters were used to attack airfields, military production facilities, Scud missiles sites and a variety of other targets. They have since been deployed to support Operation Southern Watch, the patrolling of the UN-sanctioned no-fly zone in Southern Iraq; Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey; in support of NATO operations in Bosnia, and recently in NATO Operation Allied Force.

General Characteristics
Primary function: Multirole fighter
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Corp.
Power plant: One Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-200/220/229 or General Electric F110-GE-100/129
Thrust: 27,000 pounds (12,150 kilograms)
Wing span: 32 feet, 8 inches (9.8 meters)
Length: 49 feet, 5 inches (14.8 meters)
Height: 16 feet (4.8 meters)
Speed: 1,500 mph (Mach 2 at altitude)
Maximum takeoff weight: 37,500 pounds (16,875 kilograms)
Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet (15,000 meters)
Range: More than 2,000 miles ferry range (1,740 nautical miles)
Crew: F-16C: one; F-16D: one or two
Armament: One M-61A1 20mm multibarrel cannon with 500 rounds; external stations can carry up to six air-to-air missiles, conventional air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions and electronic countermeasure pods.
Unit Cost: $20 million
Date deployed: January 1979