The modern Philippine Air Force was said to be “all air, no force,” an old adage. That was during the past. When the KAI FA-50PH Fighting Eagle was introduced to the Philippine Air Force in 2015, it marked the PAF’s return to the supersonic era. Although I believe the PAF requires additional aircraft, I was relieved to hear that two planes have been proposed for the Philippines’ Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) procurement program. The Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper Block 70 and the Saab JAS-39 Gripen C are two potential aircraft for the Philippine Air Force.
However, the F-16 is more recognizable to the general public since it is a standard medium-range fighter for air forces across the world. Therefore, the Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper Block 70 is where I’d want to start. Let me tell you about the F-16 Block 70 and then you can decide if this MRF is right for the Philippine Air Force.
The Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper Block 70
The Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper, also known as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, has been used by the US military for more than 40 years. It is a single-engine, lightweight, multirole fighter aircraft. In the 1970s, General Dynamics, which is now Lockheed Martin, made the F-16 for the USAF. It quickly became known as a dangerous aerial foe because of its high mobility, modern avionics and weapons systems, and small radar cross section.
Since it was first made, the F-16 has gone through many improvements. The F-16 Block 70 is the most recent and most advanced of these. In comparison to its predecessors, the F-16 Block 50/52, the F-16 Block 70 has a number of upgrades and new features.
There is a vast variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry that may be carried by the F-16 Block 70. The aircraft can carry a wide variety of weaponry, including:
- Air-to-air missiles: The F-16 Block 70 can carry a variety of air-to-air missiles, such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM.
- Air-to-ground missiles: The aircraft can carry a variety of air-to-ground missiles, such as the AGM-65 Maverick and AGM-84 Harpoon.
- Precision-guided munitions (PGMs): The F-16 Block 70 can carry a variety of PGMs, such as the GBU-12 Paveway II and GBU-38 JDAM.
- Bombs: The aircraft can carry a variety of bombs, such as the MK-82 and MK-84 general-purpose bombs, and the CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon.
- 27 mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 120 rounds.
Avionics
The F-16 Block 70’s avionics system is one of its most notable improvements. On board the plane is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar called the Northrop Grumman APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR). This radar has better air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities and can track multiple targets at the same time. The plane has cutting-edge electronic warfare technology, such as a radar warning receiver, a laser warning receiver, and electronic support measures.
- Advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar: The Northrop Grumman APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) provides improved air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, including the ability to track multiple targets simultaneously.
- Advanced electronic warfare suite: This includes a radar warning receiver, laser warning receiver, and electronic support measures.
- Improved communications suite: This includes a new tactical data-link, which allows the aircraft to share information with other platforms in real-time.
- Upgraded cockpit: The F-16 Block 70 features a new advanced display system and a new helmet-mounted display system.
- Advanced navigation system: This system allows the aircraft to use multiple navigation sensors and provides enhanced navigation accuracy and reliability.
- Integrated electronic warfare suite: This system allows the aircraft to detect, locate and identify threat emitters, and provide countermeasures.
- Upgraded avionics, including a new avionics architecture, digital flight control system, and advanced mission computer.
- Advanced Stores Management System (SMS) which allows the aircraft to carry a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as precision-guided munitions.
These avionics systems work in tandem to provide the F-16 Block 70 with superior situational awareness, navigation, and weapons delivery capabilities, making it a highly capable aircraft in both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Is the Lockheed F-16 Viper Block 70 a better aircraft for the Philippine Air Force?
There is a lot of debate over which plane is best for the MRF program of the Philippine Air Force. How does the modernized F-16 compare to the cutting-edge Gripen C? Both the F-16 Block 70 and the Saab Gripen C are state-of-the-art fighter aircraft, but they were built to accomplish quite distinct tasks, making direct comparisons between them difficult. Both aircraft have advantages and disadvantages, therefore the Philippine Air Force must weigh those factors carefully when deciding which one to procure.
The F-16 Block 70 is a single-engine, light, multirole fighter aircraft that is particularly effective in air-to-air and air-to-ground operations thanks to its exceptional mobility and small radar cross-section. It’s a tried-and-true platform that’s already in use in a wide variety of nations and offers cheap initial investment and ongoing expenses.
The Saab Gripen C, on the other hand, is a multirole fighter aircraft that can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations with its single engine and small weight. It has state-of-the-art avionics and lethal weaponry. When compared to other fighters in its class, the Gripen C is praised for its high degree of maneuverability, low radar cross-section, and cheap acquisition and maintenance costs.
Both planes are excellent fighters, thus, the PAF’s decision will be influenced by considerations, including the budget, its needs, and the nature of the missions at hand. The F-16 has been in use longer, has a longer history of success in combat, and is used by more countries than the Gripen. However, the Gripen is often seen as a better value because it costs less to own.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
