- Yes
- No
Hello! I would like to suggest F-16 modification operated by Romanian Air Force. This suggestion would cover twin-seat variant F-16BM modernized up to 6.5.2 standard. In my opinion, this variant especially in its unusual for Romania “Spitfire-like” livery with black stripes would make an interesting and capable high tier jet.
History:
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F-16 is a well known and widely spread aircraft developed by American General Dynamics. It made its first flight in 1974 and since when it’s been modified multiple times to prolong its successful career. One of countries using F-16s still remains Romania.
Initially Romania planned to buy 24 second-hand F-16C/D Block 25 and 24 band-new Block 50/52 from USA with a further plan to purchase 24 F-35s as a replacement for Block 25 in the future. Although as it sometimes happens in Romania, budget cutouts changed the plans. In 2013 Romania started to buy second-hand F-16s from European countries. The first 12 F-16AM/BM were purchased from Portugal, these aircraft were upgraded to MLU 5.2R standard, plus 5 other were delivered in 2021. Later in the same year, Romania made another deal for purchasing another 32 F-16s, this time with Norway, they were modernized to even higher M6.5.2 standard (with improved weapon options, updated Link-16 protocol, AN/AAQ-14 interface software, AN/ALR-56M and GPS systems).
One of delivered Norwegian F-16BM airframes had an anniversary camouflage featuring Spitfire livery, which this aircraft kept for some time in Romanian service, but with Romanian roundels.
In Romanian Air Forces F-16s became an important multirole jet, they replaced LanceRs, which while being heavily modernized were still heavily outdated MiG-21 airframes and became a stop gap aircraft for the time country waiting for F-35s arrival.
Also due to nervous border situation F-16s have an extensive service with training, patrol and even combat missions (like intercepting drones for example).
Specifications:
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Wingspan: 9.4 m;
Length 15.1 m;
Height: 5.1 m;
Empty weight: 7.4 t;
Combat weight: 11.5 t;
Maximum take-off weight: 17.0 t;
Maximum speed (at 11000 m): Mach 2.05 / 2180 km/h;
Maximum speed (at 0 m): Mach 1.2 / 1470 km/h;
Ceiling: 16700 m;
Autonomy (with additional tanks): 4400 km;
Powerplant: 1 Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E engine;
Maximum engine thrust: 6800 kg/f; with afterburner 11400 kg/f;
Weapons
Cannon: M61A1 Vulcan, 20 mm caliber (511 rounds);
Hardpoints: 2 at the wingtips, for air-to-air missiles, 6 under the wing, 3 under the fuselage, with a total capacity of 7700 kg;
Air-to-air: 6 × AIM-9 Sidewinder (up to AIM-9X) 6 × AIM-120 AMRAAM (up to AIM-120D);
Air-to-ground: 6 × AGM-65 Maverick;
Bombs: 4 × Mark 84; 8 × Mark 83;
M6.5.2 also provides such ground ordnance as: JASSM, JDAM, EGBU-12 and SDB.
Photos:
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