The times they are a changin'...

[Wing Nut]

The last F-16 has been delivered to the Air Force.  I could cry right now...  

Story Here

[chomp_rock]

Oh well, it was a good fighter but is becoming obsolete. It can't even supercruise, as is the new hot trait for fighters.

[C]

[quote]The last F-16 has been delivered to the Air Force.

[Woodlouse2002]

It can't even supercruise, as is the new hot trait for fighters.

Supercruise... New.... Bwahahahahahahahahahaha.

Ahem. EE Lightning.

[Wing Nut]

Not to sound like a dweeb, but what is 'Supercruise?"  ???

[C]

The ability to cruise at supersonic speeds without the need to use afterburners I believe...

[Rifleman]

[quote]Not to sound like a dweeb, but what is 'Supercruise?"

[C]

Something, I believe, that Concorde used for yrs......

Concorde did have the advantage of not carrying several thousand lbs of drag causing stores hanging under the wings...

[Mobius]

They are still planning on updating the existing F-16s so they still have some life left in them at least.  In the article it said those F-16s had the helmet mounted cueing system, how many other aircraft use this?  I didn't think the US was using it yet.  I knew that MiG-29 pilots can use it and some others, I just didn't know who.

[Ben_M_K]

Yeah Supercruise is cruising at supersonic speeds without the afterburners, as stated by some other members. The F/A-22 will use supercruise...

[Woodlouse2002]

[quote]

Something, I believe, that Concorde used for yrs......


.....Oh, ....I get it now........first we let the civilians use it for a quarter of a century, then once its proven, we can allow the military to test it for suitability.........

[C]

[quote]They are still planning on updating the existing F-16s so they still have some life left in them at least.

[GunnerMan]

Well I guess we need to phase it out, need to keep up with the terrorists you know, they just got a set of hangliders equiped with 2  3mm BB guns with a maximum range of 100 feet.

Yeah I do like the F-16 looks so damn sleek.

[Rifleman]

Concorde did have the advantage of not carrying several thousand lbs of drag causing stores hanging under the wings...

....and neither does the F-22....stores are internal.....

[C]

....and neither does the F-22....stores are internal.....

..and hence its ability to supercruise.

Having said that, when it comes into service as the F/A-22 we're probably going to see it with at least one pair of underwing pylons... The Typhoon will be the same. I imagine if the F/A-18 Super Hornet could too if the pylons were removed...