China has received a new F-16, the F-16A MLU with the V upgrade (Viper of the Block 70 program). In fact, it’s not a Block 70 F-16 but an updated Block 20, and this could cause some problems with the sensors and engines for its BR of 14.3
(F-16D Block 70)
The fact that we don’t have the F-16C Block 70s that Taiwan received in 2025 means we’re missing out on the GE-129 engine and better sensors, some of which are located on the vertical stabilizer. I’m not going to talk about the Viper Shield, an EW system found on the Block 70s, because the game doesn’t implement its mechanical aspects (the J-15T has a similar internal EW system).
The problem is that we’re going to have an F-16V Block 20 that’s potentially heavier than the F-16A, but still with the old PW-220 engine in 14.3
I think Gaijin should have given us the F-16C Block 70 directly, which would be a direct equivalent to the F-16C PoBit
We already know that Taiwan received the first Block 70s in 2025, but the only photos shared are of the F-16D Block 70. The F-16C Block 70s haven’t been shown yet, but they have also been ordered
Not only that, but they also fucked it up. They say it’s a Block 70 on the stat card, like you said, and it has the wider intake and everything (found on GE engines), but it’s functionally the Block 20, which shocker, has the PW engine, which has the smaller intake. So either they actually make it a Block 20, or make it a Block 70. Because right now it’s a weird fucked up hybrid. Props to gaijin for always being inconsistent and getting their stuff wrong
I actually messed it up a little. The F-16V in game does have the smaller intake, i just looked at it wrong, plus i was pretty tired lol.
But in short, the one in game is a Block 20, but they call it a Block 70, which is wrong
The point is that the EW sensors show the difference between Taiwan’s F-16Vs and their new F-16Cs, not F-16Vs in general
The fairings were already a part of Advanced F-16 (Block 50+/52+) production standard. Even the generally downgraded ones for Iraq had them at delivery for AN/ALQ-187 + AN/ALR-93
Block 72 isn’t just any F-16V with a PW engine. They’re new build jets only
Block 72 has the F100-PW-229 engine which Taiwan isn’t buying for it’s upgraded jets, and aren’t putting on their new jets either since they opted for the F110-GE-129 (Block 70).
Taiwan still use F100-PW-220 on their F-16V Block 20/F-16AM
Isn’t most of the appeal of the F-16V that it can be an upgrade kit for older F-16s AND be newly built? Taiwan operates F-16AM Blk20s upgraded to the F-16V Block 72 standard (i guess wrong? see my question below). The Greek F-16V Blk 72s are upgraded from the Block 52+ Standard, etc.
So despite all the other upgrades, they’re considered Blk 20s instead of Block 72s because of their engine?
The Peace Phoenix Rising root prime contract (FA861520D6052) explicitly names Taiwan’s procured aircraft as “Block 70/72”. Morocco’s is 23 upgraded block 52s while Taiwan’s is 140 odd block 20s.
As most people who scrutinize F-16 designations pretty acutely, they would be F-16AM-20s that were upgraded to the Viper block 72 standard.
Locksneed Shartin can’t make up their own minds on their own designations, so the people who get them have to instead.
This bug report clearly explains why F-16Vs are not Block 70/72 and why all F-16s with Block 70/72 are F-16Vs (especially for the new "V"iper production standard). There are no F-16Vs with Block 70/72; they are F-16Cs or Ds from the latest production standard. The only F-16Vs are “modernized” models, like the Taiwanese Block 20 or Block 50s or 52s. F-16Vs are modernized to the Block 70/72 standard.
