By Graham Warwick at Farnborough air show
Lockheed Martin is working to define the configuration of a
"next-generation" F-16NG to meet the requirements of emerging
customers, potentially including India. Final definition of the
configuration is awaiting firm requirements, but is intended to
combine "the best of Block 50 and Block 60, with elements from the
F-22 and F-35", the Rob Weiss, vice-president business
development.
Enhancements under consideration include further uprated versions
of the General Electric F110 and Pratt & Whitney F100 engines
and a later generation of active electronically scanned array
(AESA) than the Northrop APG-80 agile-beam radar in the F-16E/F
Block 60.
Although all F-16s and its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) use
Northrop radars, Weiss says Lockheed is "looking more broadly" for
the F-16NG, suggesting that Raytheon - which produces AESA radars
for the Boeing F-15 and F/A-18E/F - has at least an opportunity to
bid.
As well as India, which is expected to issue a request for
proposals (RFP) for 126 multi-role fighters later this year, Weiss
says emerging customers include existing F-16 operators who need to
recapitalise their fleets, but do not plan to buy the F-35 until
later in the next decade. "The F-16NG would be a good transition to
the F-35," he says. Weiss says the F-16NG will not be fully defined
until after India has issued its RFP and the US government decides
what technology will be releasable. Depending on the Indian
requirement, and other potential customers, the final configuration
could have a capability "less, equal to or better than" the Block
60, he says.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics president Ralph Heath says he is
confident the company can tailor an aircraft for India that is
sufficiently different to the Block 50/52 F-16 planned to be
purchased by neighbour Pakistan to satisfy India.
http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles/2006/07/25/Navigation/177/207990/Farnborough+Lockheed+works+to+define+next+F-16.html
