F-16 Dimensions

In terms of length, the size of the F 16 Fighting Falcon is 49 ft 5 in (14.8 m). The wing span is 32 ft 8 in (9.8 m). Below are its other technical specifications.

General Characteristics

The F 16’s height is 16 ft (4.8 m) and the wing area is 300 sq ft (27.87 sq m). The Airfoil is NACA 64A204 root and tip. Its weight is 18,900 lbs (8,670 kg). The loaded weight is 26,500 lbs (12,000 kg).

The maximum takeoff weight of the F 16 is 42,000 lbs (19,200 kg). The dry thrust is 17,155 lbf (76.3 kN). The thrust with the afterburner is 28,000 lbf (128.9 kN).

Performance of the F 16

The design and size of the F 16 is aimed at making it flexible and it shows. The speed at sea level is Mach 1.2 (equal to 915 mph; 1,470 km/h). At altitude the speed is Mach 2 (1,500 mph or 2,414 km/h). The combat radius is 340 miles or 550 km (this is with half a dozen 1,000 lb bombs). The service ceiling is 60,000 ft (128,000 m). The F 16’s climb rate is 50,000 ft per minute (254 m/s).

Armaments of the F 16

The F 16 is equipped with 1 x 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan gatling gun with 511 rounds. Its rockets can either be the 4× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods or 4× LAU-5003. The 4× LAU-61/LAU-68 is equipped with
19× /7× Hydra 70 mm rockets. The 4× LAU-5003 comes with 19× CRV7 70 mm rockets.

The size of the F 16 also lets it carry 4× LAU-10 rocket pods. These come with 4× Zuni 127 mm rockets. The F 16 can also carry any of the following air to air missiles: 2× AIM-7 Sparrow, 6× IRIS-T, 6× Python-4, or 6× AIM-9 Sidewinder.

For air to ground missiles it can choose from the following: 4× AGM-88 HARM, 6× AGM-45 Shrike or the 6× AGM-65 Maverick. The Fighting Falcon can also carry anti ship missiles like the 2× AGM-84 Harpoon or 4× AGM-119 Penguin.

The F 16 is also capable of carrying a wide variety of bombs. These include the 2× CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition, 2× CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon, 6× GBU-12 Paveway II or the 4× GBU-10 Paveway II.
The size of the F 16 also lets it carry the 6× GBU-12 Paveway II or the 4× GBU-10 Paveway II.

The fighter plane can also carry the 6× Paveway series laser-guided bombs, the 4× Mark 84 general-purpose bombs, 12× Mark 82 GP bombs and the 8× Mark 83 GP bombs.

The F 16 can also be equipped with the B61 nuclear bomb. The fighter plane can also carry the 3× 300 / 330 / 370 US gallon Sargent Fletcher drop tanks, SUU-42A/A Flares/Infrared decoys dispenser pod or the AN/ALQ-131 & AN/ALQ 184 ECM pods.

The size of the F 16 and its impressive array of weapons have made it one of the most dependable jet fighters in the US Air Force. It’s been so successful that other countries are using it now.