F-16 Fighting FalconOver its career, the F-16 Fighting Falcon–or Viper, as it is more commonly known—has been continuously updated. Nowhere are those changes more evident than in the cockpits of the latest generation of F-16s, the Block 50/52+, and particularly the Block 60 version shown here. The latest F-16 cockpits feature color multifunction displays and lighting compatible with night vision systems. Onboard computers process information from sensors and off-aircraft sources and present information to the pilot with straightforward graphics. Still, the cockpit retains many features that made the F-16 revolutionary from the beginning, including a frameless bubble canopy, hands-on throttle and sidestick switch controls, a thirty-degree seatback angle for increased g tolerance, and a head-up display.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
Type: Fighter (Multirole)
Number Built: 80 on order (More than 4,300 F-16s have been produced worldwide.)
First Flight: 6 December 2003 (Two-seat F-16F)
In Service: 2005 – Present