F-16 News

The War Zone • Joseph Trevithick

Ukrainian F-16s spotted fitted with APKWS II laser-guided rockets effective against drones

Photos show Ukrainian F-16s equipped with external sighting containers and APKWS II laser-guided rockets, enabling laser-guided or beam-corrected strikes. APKWS delivers a low-cost, high-volume counter to swarming drones and some cruise missiles, addressing a critical short-range air-defence gap.

2025-12-05T13:06:18.879506-08:00

avweb.com

USAF Thunderbirds F-16C Crashes in Southern California Desert; Pilot Ejects Safely

2025-12-03T12:55:18.834803-08:00

AeroTime

Polish F‑16C Block 52+ crashes in Radom airshow rehearsal; pilot killed

2025-08-28T11:23:50.305818-07:00

Associated Press

NORAD: F-16s Scramble to Intercept Two Tu‑95 Bombers and Two Su‑35 Fighters Off Alaska Coast

2025-09-25T06:22:09.361736-07:00

F-16 News Timeline

The War Zone

Ukrainian F-16s spotted fitted with APKWS II laser-guided rockets effective against drones Photos show Ukrainian F-16s equipped with external sighting containers and APKWS II laser-guided rockets, enabling laser-guided or beam-corrected strikes. APKWS delivers a low-cost, high-volume counter to swarming drones and some cruise missiles, addressing a critical short-range air-defence gap.

2025-12-05T13:06:18.879506-08:00

Ukrainian F-16s spotted fitted with APKWS II laser-guided rockets effective against drones

The Aviationist

Boeing completes QF-16 program with delivery of 127th and final target drone to USAF Boeing has delivered the 127th — and, under current plans, final — QF-16 full‑scale aerial target to the U.S. Air Force, closing a roughly 15‑year conversion programme that transformed retired F‑16 fighters into optionally‑piloted target drones for live‑fire training.

2025-12-05T07:11:33.950624-08:00

Boeing completes QF-16 program with delivery of 127th and final target drone to USAF

avweb.com

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USAF Thunderbirds F-16C Crashes in Southern California Desert; Pilot Ejects Safely On Dec. 3, 2025, at approximately 10:45 a.m., a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16C crashed in the Southern California desert near Death Valley after its pilot safely ejected. The pilot was reported in stable condition; authorities have opened an investigation.

2025-12-03T12:55:18.834803-08:00

USAF Thunderbirds F-16C Crashes in Southern California Desert; Pilot Ejects Safely

The Aviationist

ALQ-257 'Integrated Viper' EW suite on track for rapid fielding to 72 USAF F-16s and Army ME-11B HADES The ALQ-257 Integrated Viper electronic warfare suite is on track for rapid fielding to 72 U.S. Air Force F‑16s and the Army’s ME‑11B HADES, marking a near-term rollout of a common EW capability across both legacy fighter and attack platforms. Fielding schedule aims to accelerate operational availability.

2025-12-03T05:47:08.908637-08:00

ALQ-257 'Integrated Viper' EW suite on track for rapid fielding to 72 USAF F-16s and Army ME-11B HADES

The Aviationist

U.S. F-16 pilot awarded Silver Star after leading SEAD mission through heavy surface-to-air fire in Yemen Lt. Col. William "Skate" Parks was awarded the Silver Star, the U.S. military's third-highest combat decoration, for leading an F-16 suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses mission over Yemen. Parks guided his flight through a deadly barrage of surface-to-air fire to complete the objective under extreme threat.

2025-12-02T00:22:55.971032-08:00

U.S. F-16 pilot awarded Silver Star after leading SEAD mission through heavy surface-to-air fire in Yemen

insidedefense.com

USAF weighs U.S. variant of modernized F‑16 as option for additional domestic buys The U.S. Air Force is weighing procurement of a U.S. variant of the modernized F‑16 Fighting Falcon, several sources told Inside Defense, opening the possibility of additional domestic buys that would expand the service’s legacy fighter force alongside ongoing fifth‑generation programs.

2025-12-01T14:09:26.057010-08:00

USAF weighs U.S. variant of modernized F‑16 as option for additional domestic buys

The Aviationist

Kunsan’s 35th Fighter Squadron Deploys 31 F-16s to Osan for Super Squadron Phase II Seventh Air Force launched Phase II of the Super Squadron initiative, deploying 31 F‑16s from Kunsan’s 35th Fighter Squadron to Osan Air Base. The movement builds on a prior Super Squadron test and adds a second squadron to the concentrated F‑16 rotation at Osan.

2025-11-24T06:30:18.585468-08:00

Kunsan’s 35th Fighter Squadron Deploys 31 F-16s to Osan for Super Squadron Phase II

Air & Space Forces Mag

Pratt & Whitney wins $1.2B sustainment contract for F100 engines powering F-15 and F-16 fleets Pratt & Whitney has won a $1.2 billion contract to sustain the F100 turbofan engine fleet that powers legacy F-15 and F-16 fighters. The award covers maintenance, spares and long-term support work intended to preserve engine serviceability and fleet readiness for older tactical aircraft.

2025-11-19T05:11:25.396726-08:00

Pratt & Whitney wins $1.2B sustainment contract for F100 engines powering F-15 and F-16 fleets