US Air Force keeps F-16 fleet upgrade as priority

摘要

The US Air Force (USAF) intends to keep its fleet of F-16 multirole fighter aircraft as a potent force to 2020 and perhaps beyond, according to service officials. While much of the industry and public focus is on the USAF's efforts to integrate the F/A-22 Raptor into its inventory later this decade and procure the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the service continues to invest heavily in its existing fleets of F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft. Efforts are under way to ensure the F-16's structural viability, modernise aircraft avionics and incorporate new sensors and weapons on to them.