The F-16ES was a proposed version of the F-16 which was developed by the US as a possible export model for the Strike Fighter Competition which was going on in Israel at the time however it lost the bid to the F-15E Strike Eagle which would become the F-15I in Israeli service. It would have been fitted with conformal fuel tanks and an internal FLIR system mounted above and below the nose with the same capabilities of the LANTIRN pod.
History
In the 1960’s a program would be started to find a air superiority fighter that could overcome the challenges faced by fighter pilots during the Vietnam War, this would become known as the Lightweight Fighter Program, also known as the Fighter Mafia. Multiple proposals for the Air Forces next fighter aircraft were made, the most notable being the YF-16 by General Dynamics, and the YF-17 by Northrop. In 1975 after multiple tests and careful consideration, the YF-16 was chosen and would be developed into the F-16 we know today.
In the early 1990’s Israel held a competition to pick a new strike fighter for it’s air force. General Dynamics decided to put forth a design called the F-16ES, Enhanced Strategic. This new version would essentially be the same F-16 that was already in service with various nations however with a few key differences, most notably the addition of conformal fuel tanks which could extend it’s range up to 40% further and an integrated FLIR system for designating targets without the need for a targeting pod.
An F-16C Block 30 would be leased and modified to test out the new upgrades. In November 1994 the ES would take it’s first of many flights fitted with conformal fuel tanks and the housing for it’s FLIR system. However Israel would end up choosing Boeings F-15E Strike Eagle over the F-16ES which unfortunately meant the program would be shut down in January of 1995. Subsequently the aircraft would be demodified and returned to Edwards AFB later that month.
However some of the features of the ES would make it into service with the F-16E Block 60 Desert Falcon which was purchased by the UAE in 2004.
Specifications
Size
- Length - 15.06 m (49 ft 5 in)
- Height - 5.09 m (16 ft 8 in)
- Wingspan - 9.96 m (32 ft 8 in)
Weight
The exact weight is unknown but presumed to be similar to the F-16E Desert Falcon due to their similarities
- Empty Weight - ~9,200 kg (20,282 lb)
- Max Takeoff Weight - ~21,770 kg (48,000 lb)
Powerplant
- General Electric F110-GE-100
Speed
- Max Speed - 2145.256kph (1333mph) - Mach 2.02
Armament
Gun
- 1 x * 1 x 20mm M61A1 Vulcan (512 rounds)
Air to Air
- AIM-9 Sidewinder
- AIM-7 Sparrow
- AIM-120 AMRAAM
Air to Ground
- Mark 82/84 General Purpose bombs
- AGM-65 Maverick
- AGM-45 Shrike
- AGM-88 HARM
- GBU-10 Paveway II
Avionics/Misc
- AN/APG-68
- ALR-56M RWR
- AN/ALE-47
- Integrated FLIR (Supposedly same specs as LANTIRN.
- Yes
- No
- Tech Tree Vehicle
- Squadron Vehicle
- Event Vehicle
- Premium Vehicle
- I said no
- 12.7
- 13.0
- 13.3
- 13.7
- 14.0
- I said no