F-16AM (F-16V): The Ultimate Upgrade

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F-16AM (F-16V)

History

Between the late 90’s to the mid 2010’s the Republic of China’s air force’s (ROCAF) F-16A Block 20’s were fairly formidable in keeping the peace between the straits. The F-16’s along with the Mirage 2000-5EI and F-CK-1A kept the ROCAF at a near balance to the People Liberations Army Air Force (PLAAF’s) fighters. However with China’s fast development next generation fighters and increasing numbers, the balance was quickly being offset. Taiwan originally wanted F-35’s to help keep the balance however the US was apprehensive in selling them their latest generation fighter so the decision to upgrade the current F-16 fleet was made.

In late 2011 an arms sale was agreed upon to bring the F-16’s to 4.5 gen standard. The plan was to upgrade them with an ASEA radar, joint helmet aiming system, AIM-9X, AN/A LQ-213 electronic warfare management system, JDAM’s, Have Glass II radar absorbing paint, and an upgrade to the F100-PW-229 EEP engine. The AN/APG-83 SABR was chosen as the radar however the original engine was kept and not upgraded to the F100-PW-229 EEP engine. The upgrade would eventually become known as F-16V (with V standing for Viper the F-16’s nickname given by pilots). Its other name is the F-16AM and both are be used interchangeably when talking about the ROCAF F-16’s.

The maiden flight of the F-16V happened on October 16 2015 at Edwards Air Force Base with the ROCAF’s own F-16 number 6601 (flown by USAAF) as the test model.

Spoiler

IMG_3497
IMG_34971024×683 490 KB

In 2013 an agreement was reached between Lockheed and AIDC to upgrade the rest of the F-16 fleet on Taiwan with the first two being upgraded in the U.S. The first F-16V was delivered to Taiwan on October 19 2018 and the fleet was fully upgraded in 2023.

Taiwan has also ordered 66 F-16C Block 70’s (also called F-16V) which are expected to arrive in the next few years. The main difference between the block 70’s and the AM are conformal fuel tanks and a better engine.

Specifications (based on the 2011 order and previous systems, some details may have changed):

Length: 47 feet 8 inch (15.02 meters)

Wing span: 31 feet (9.45 meters)

Height: 16 feet 8 in. (5.09 meters)

Engine: Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 turbofan engine Military thrust 14,590 pounds (64.9 kN) Maximum thrust 23,770 pounds (105.7 kN)

Top speed: Mach 2

Armaments:

1 x M61 Vulcan

AIM-9M

AIM-9X block II

AIM-120C-7 & 8

AGM-88B HARM

AGM-154C

AGM-84H

AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II

AGM-65G2

GBU-12 Paveway II

GBU-10 Paveway II

GBU-24 Paveway III

MK 82 500lb bomb

MK 84 2000lb bomb

GBU-31V1 JDAM

GBU-38 JDAM

Countermeasures/ protection:

DFRM w/ AN/ALQ-184 or AN/ALQ-213(v9) or AN/ALQ-131

Have Glass II

AN/ALE-47

AN/ALR-56M

AN/ALE-50

Avionics:

AN/APG-83 SABR

APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Combined Interrogator Transponders

Center Pedestal Display

Link 16 Datalink

Night Vision Imaging System

Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II

Embedded GPS/INS

MS-110

Other:

AN/VDS-5 LOROP-EO

BRU-57 smart multiple carriage rack

AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting pod

LANTIRN

In game

In game this variant of the F-16V would be one of the ultimate fighters for the ROCAF fighter line and would probably be the second to last fighter in the line (with the F-16C block 70 on top). With Helmet mounted capabilities paired with the AIM-9X block II it would be a very dangerous close combat dogfighter and also very dangerous in Beyond visual range combat with the AIM-120C-7 and 8’s. Furthermore with its massive selection of advanced and basic air to ground weaponry it can bring the pain to ground targets as well. Either by providing close air support in ground battles or by bombing bases and killing targets in air battles the F-16AM would be one of the ultimate multi role fighter for the Republic of China (Taiwan) line.

Sources

Spoiler

F-16V Takes Flight · Lockheed Martin

AIDC, Lockheed iron out details of Taiwan F-16 upgrade | News | Flight Global

https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/2586462?utm_medium=P

Taiwan Achieves F-16V Full Operational Capability - The Aviationist

https://tw.news.yahoo.com/f-16v接裝升級-3-圖-092124216.html

https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20211118002484-260407?chdtv

https://tw.news.yahoo.com/f16v潛力裝掛-準備掛載響尾蛇飛彈-圖-100151101.html

https://airwingspotter.com/f-16v-viper-upgrade/

https://udn.com/news/story/7324/6544795

F-16戰隼戰鬥機 - 维基百科，自由的百科全书

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States – AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Missiles | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States – F-16 Munitions | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States - Retrofit of F-16A/B Aircraft | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

Comic that showcases the ROCAF F-16AM and other fighters.
燃燒的西太平洋｜beanfun! 漫畫星

6 Likes
2

+1 Would be cool

4 Likes
3

with the f16c being added this would match well.

2 Likes
4

-1, China shouldn’t have gotten any kind of F-16, they have more than enough of their own vehicles to be added, so no more American vehicles are necessary for it

14 Likes
5

However, Gaijin is unwilling to create a new vehicle. There are many vehicles in China that can replace F16, but Gaijin is only willing to copy and paste.

12 Likes
6

+1 they just could add it right now because its still just copy and paste and china gets a equalent to other main countries

7

China already has an equivalent, the MLU

8

If it was flown by the USAAF then it could always go to the US tree, but realistically it doesn’t matter who it goes to because USSR, US and China all have a lot of 4th gen fighters that can be added to the game.

It would still be cool to see although if I had to pick I’d split that off and put it in the US, China doesn’t really have any early 4th gens which is why they got the MLU but as I said, there are plenty of true 4th and 4.5th gens for them

1 Like
9

No, PLAAF J10 is needed more than ROCAF plane right now

3 Likes
10

+1 Not perfect but very good 4++ gen multirole fighter for ROCAF line, thanks you bro @hypilot

I guess gaijin might consider early multirole fighter from PLAAF/PLANAF Chengdu J-10A under Shenyang J-8F this month or december

1 Like
11

US should get it

4 Likes
12

Hub ? Yes ?

You could mean USAF upgraded F-16C Block 50/52 to F-16C/D Block 70/72 standard ? 🤔

1 Like
13

the us already has enough vehicles, minor nations need vehicles and attention

1 Like
14

China should get their domestic stuff instead of more C&P.There’s a lot of domestic chinese(ROC+PRC) jets that can be added.

4 Likes
15

but the only plane we (taiwan) made is already in plan (ck-1 aka IDF), if we have f16v i don’t think no reason add it in to wt, it already hard to play my country’s tank or plane, really want it :(

(list of morden tank/plant of roc(taiwan):
cm11(exist), cm34(not yet), m1a2t(in plan)
f16a(exist), IDF/CK-1(in plane), Mirage 2000(not yet), F16AM(this sub),F16C (not yet)

2 Likes
16

I know Taiwan lacks enough domestic options.Locally upgraded/modified planes can be added in the tree but the thing is F16V isn’t specifically made for Taiwan.

1 Like
17

photo broken

1 Like
18

Still shows for me. Anyone else having this problem?

This is an upgrade of the F-16A block 20 with most of the modifications/installation taking place in Taiwan.
The model would be mostly the same as the one we have in game right now. Weapons, Avionics, and possibly cockpit would be the main things that’ll change.

The F-16C block 70 (not Taiwan specific) would be the top F-16 in the tree.

1 Like
19

oh its OK now, my network problem maybe

2 Likes
20

I think F16-AM is a Viper without conformal fuel tank

1 Like