Russo-Ukrainian War: The General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon

Source: inukraine_official on Instagram

     The road to Ukraine receiving the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a story all to itself, mainly in the politics that held up the process. Ukraine formally requested the F-16 in late February 2022 in order to quickly update the Ukrainian Air Force's (UAF) air defense capability. Although the F-16 entered service in 1980, three years before the Mikoyan MiG-29, the F-16 has been in continual improvement cycles since its introduction which have allowed it to surpass the abilities of the MiG-29s of the UAF. Former President Joe Biden finally approved the supply of the F-16 to Ukraine in August 2023 but the UAF would not receive its first jets until July 2024. The specific model of F-16 the UAF is using is the F-16 Block 15 MLU (Mid-Life Update), designated the F-16AM, and they are not coming from the United States but from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway. The pledges include thirty aircraft from Belgium (none delivered yet), nineteen from Denmark (none delivered yet), twenty-four from the Netherlands (a portion have been delivered), and twelve (plus 10 more for parts) from Norway. To date, only seven F-16s are operational with the UAF.

     The F-16AM is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbojet that can generate 23,830 pounds of thrust when on full afterburner. This provides for a maximum speed of 1,345 miles per hour and a cruise speed of 577 miles per hour. The service ceiling is 55,000 feet and a operational range of 1,407 miles.

     The majority of the MLU improvements are in the avionics. The biggest of these was upgrading the radar to the AN/APG-66(V)2 model. The AN/APG-66, designed by Westinghouse, first appeared in the 1970s and is the primary fire-control radar system for the F-16. The radar is of the X-band, pulse-Doppler type and uses a planar array, consisting of six LRUs (Line Replaceable Units) to ease repair/maintenance. Operating frequency range is between 6.2 to 10.9 gigahertz. The (V)2 variant boosts the detection range to 52 miles by incorporating enhancements that help in filtering out the effects of chaff, ground clutter, and jamming. The AN/APG-66 is a look down/shoot down system which means it uses a PRF (Pulse-Repetition Frequency) which allows the radar to sift through ground clutter, locate targets, and enable the engagement of targets below the F-16AM. Likewise, the radar has look up/shoot up capability. The search cone is 120 degrees by 120 degrees.

     Other updates included an improved IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) which permits the F-16 to utilize BVR (Beyond Visual Range) munitions that exceed the onboard radar's range. Additional changes include redesigned cockpit displays, updated EW (Electronic Warfare) systems, new communication sets, updated flight controls to improve low-altitude handling, and the ability to integrate with U.S. AN/AAQ-14 LANTIRN (Low Altitude Navigation & Targeting Infrared for Night) and AN/AAQ-28 Litening targeting pods. Ukrainian pilots are equipped with the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System)

     The only built-in armament of the F-16AM is the General Electric M61A1 Vulcan 20mm, 6-barrel rotary cannon. A total of 511 rounds is carried. Hydraulically operated and electrically fired, the M61A1 can spit out 6,000 rounds per minute. The typical ammunition load is the reliable M56A3/A4 HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary) round. The M56 can create a blast radius against ground targets out to 6.6 feet with a shrapnel hazard out to 66 feet. Against armor, the round can penetrate 13mm of rolled homogeneous armor at 0 degrees slope at a range of 341 feet. The effective range of the M61A1 is 1.9 miles.

     For hardpoints, the F-16AM has two wing-tip rails, a total of six under-wing hardpoints, and three centerline hardpoints for a total war load capacity of 17,000 pounds. The F-16 can utilize a whole host of ordnance and so to go through all of them would make for a short novel. As such, ordnance seen in use by the UAF's F-16AM jets include: AIM-9 Sidewinder (infrared guided, short range AAM [Air-to-Air Missile]), AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile), and the GBU-39 250 pound glide SDB (Small Diameter Bomb). Other equipment seen on hardpoints include the AN/ALQ-131 ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) pod, Sargent Fletcher manufactured 370 gallon drop tanks, and Terma (a Danish company) built PIDS+ (Pylon Integrated Dispensing System Plus) and ECIPS+ (Electronic Combat Integrated Pylon System Plus). The latter two systems are defensive packages that include MAWS (Missile Approach Warning System), chaff dispensers, flare dispensers, radar warning system (alerting the pilot when his aircraft is “painted” by a radar system), and a homing receiver warning system (again, alerting the pilot when his aircraft is being targeted by a homing radar). As a note, the specific models of the Sidewinder seen include the AIM-9L, AIM-9M and AIM-9X while the AMRAAM has been seen in the AIM-120B and AIM-120C variants.

     In the photograph, visible are AIM-120C missiles on the wing-tip rails and AIM-9M on a wing hardpoints along with what appears to be a Terma ECIPS+ on the plane nearest the viewer. The aircraft also have drop tanks. Also, at least two of the F-16AMs retain their Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) paint and on the furthest F-16AM, the rectangle on the vertical stabilizer is the painted over RNLAF tail code. The same plane shows a lot of carbon scoring around the gun port for the M61A1.

     So far, the UAF has primarily deployed their F-16AM fighters in the air defense role, combating Russian cruise missiles and the 9K720 Iskander (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone) short-range ballistic missiles. More rarely, the F-16AM is sortied for ground attack missions due to not having air superiority and the risk to the pilot and plane from anti-aircraft fire (MANPADS, mobile SAM systems, and the like).

     To date, the UAF has lost one F-16AM along with its pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Oleksii Mes, call sign Moonfish. He was killed on August 26, 2024 during a mission to combat a Russian mass aerial attack consisting of some 120 missiles and over 100 drones. According to Ukrainian sources, Mes destroyed three cruise missiles and one drone before being downed and killed. How he was downed was initially unknown. A U.S. official said it was pilot error, something that the UAF refuted. Ultimately, it was found that Mes was shot down by friendly ground fire during the attack, the weapon having been a MIM-104 Patriot missile.

Convair B-36D Peacemaker: No Match for Mother Nature

(Author's Collection)

     At 6:42pm on September 1, 1952, a tornado tore through Carswell Air Force Base (AFB) which was located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. Among other units, stationed at Carswell was the 11th. Bombardment Wing, which had been activated back in February 1951 and under the 8th. Air Force. The wing flew the enormous Convair B-36 “Peacemaker” bomber which had the nickname of the “Aluminum Overcast” and to which Lt. General James Edmundson once described flying the massive aircraft as “sitting on your porch and flying your house around.” The tornado, boasting sustained wind speeds of over 90mph, struck the B-36 flight line directly and commenced to tossing the huge bombers about with ease. Two-thirds of the entire B-36 fleet was put out of service with some 72 bombers being damaged. 

     The only complete loss was B-36D “2051” (Serial No. 44-92051) shown in the photograph. The tornado easily lifted the bomber from its parking spot so that it came to grief off the tarmac. The encounter with the tornado snapped the tail off, broke a wing, and stripped off engine cowlings and other pieces of the airframe. Around the clock repairs would see the 11th. Bombardment Wing back to full strength by October 1952. The remains of “2051” were removed from Carswell AFB and utilized as a ground target for nuclear weapon testing. Of note, the 8th. Air Force badge can be seen on the tail. Also of note, Carswell AFB was closed in 1994 and is now the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

Douglas B-26B Invader "Brown Nose": 731st. Bombardment Squadron

(Author's Collection)

     A Douglas B-26B Invader belonging to the 731st. Bombardment Squadron (BS), 3rd. Bomb Group (BG). Prior to 1948, the aircraft was designated A-26B. The 731st. BS (at this time, part of the 452nd. BG), a U.S. Air Force (USAF) Reserve unit stationed near Long Beach, California, was activated for duty in the Korean War. The squadron flew their B-26Bs across the Pacific, landing at Iwakuni Air Force Base (AFB) in Japan in November 1950. 

     Upon arrival, the unit was placed under the 3rd. BG. “Brown Nose” and other 731st. B-26B aircraft conducted 2,000 sorties amounting to 9,000 flying hours from November 1950 to June 25, 1951. After that date, the 731st. was inactivated and became the 90th. BS which moved to Yokota Army Airfield (also in Japan). The extensive sortie tally on “Brown Nose” while flown with the 731st. was removed after the transfer. The 90th. would eventually be rotated back to the U.S. but not before they amassed numerous missions with a specialty for targeting rail lines (especially with trains on them) as well as marshaling yards. “Brown Nose” would be later upgraded to the B-26K standard which featured more powerful engines but removed the wing mounted machine guns. 

     “Brown Nose” would see action in the early years of the Vietnam War and on May 1966, the USAF changed the B-26K designation to A-26A. The A-26A was retired from service in 1969 when their airframes reached their maximum airworthiness level.

The Republic XF-84H: The USAF's "Mighty Ear Banger"

The first XF-84H prototype in flight. (USAF; Author's Collection)

     In the early 1950s, the U.S. Navy was seeking a fighter that was capable of launching from an aircraft carrier without the assistance of a catapult. Republic Project 3347 was initiated and the Navy asked for three prototypes but the Navy elected to cancel the contract but not after two prototypes were already nearing completion. Not wanting to waste the effort, the two aircraft, designated XF-84H, were used by the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Wright Air Development Center to conduct testing on supersonic propellers. Republic derived the XF-84H from their F-84F Thunderstreak which was already in service with the USAF and fitted a 5,850hp Allison XT40-A-1 turboprop engine into the rear of the fuselage and via an extension shaft, drove a 12ft. diameter Aeroproducts propeller. The engine’s exhaust was shunted out through an afterburner in the tail. A novel feature was an extendable ram air turbine which could power both hydraulic and electrical systems in case of engine failure. 

     The propeller, at speed, created tremendous torque and the outer portion of the blades spun at supersonic speeds which produced continuous sonic booms even when the engine was idling. So loud was the aircraft that it could be heard some 25 miles away. This made being around the XF-84H hazardous as the concussion from the shock waves from the sonic booms could literally blow unwary ground crew away and the din not only caused nausea and headaches in personnel (even with ear protection), it also disrupted sensitive components due to vibrations in nearby electronics. So loud was the aircraft that radio communication was impossible and signal lights had to be used by ground crew to talk to the pilot. This earned the XF-84H the name “Thunderscreech” (most commonly associated with the plane) but also the “Mighty Ear Banger.” The USAF never put pilots in the seat of the XF-84H and all test flights were carried out by Republic with the first occurring on July 22, 1955. Besides the noise, in the air, the XF-84H suffered from propeller induced vibrations, blade pitch gear failures, hydraulic failures, engine failures, longitudal instability, and that it took nearly a half hour to get the engine warmed up. So bad was the aircraft that after one flight, Republic test pilot Lin Hendrix was quoted as saying to the project’s lead engineer, "You aren't big enough and there aren't enough of you to get me in that thing again". 

     Ultimately, despite the design’s impressive acceleration, the XF-84H’s numerous problems which could not be easily resolved and the inability for the plane to reach its performance metrics, the USAF canceled the project in September 1956. The second prototype (51-17060 [FS-060]) was scrapped while the first (51-17059 [FS-059]) was mounted on a post at Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, California where an electric motor mounted inside the fuselage turned the propeller. In 1992, it became the gate guardian for the Ohio Air National Guard’s 178th. Wing based at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport in Springfield, Ohio. Today, it is now housed in the collection at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio on the grounds of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

     The photograph is of the first prototype and the ram air turbine is not deployed. It is situated just forward of the black marking on the vertical stabilizer. Both prototypes featured the “Stars and Bars” inside the cockpit, behind the pilot’s seat.