12,000-Hour Viper: Why the Air Force Is Giving the F-16 Fighter “F-35 Brains”

12,000-Hour Viper: Why the Air Force Is Giving the F-16 Fighter “F-35 Brains”

Summary and Key Points: The Air Force is extending the F-16’s relevance into the 2040s by pairing structural life-extension work with modern sensors and avionics. -Major reinforcements to wing skins, fittings, bulkheads, and key fuselage areas are described as adding roughly 4,000 flight hours, pushing service life from about 8,000 to 12,000 hours.  -At […] The post 12,000-Hour Viper: Why the Air Force Is Giving the F-16 Fighter “F-35 Brains” a…