F-16V（戰隼）戰鬥機：台灣戰隼，鷹擊長空｜中華民國空軍 ｜台灣空軍

#f16 #f16v #FightingFalcon #FighterJet #RepublicOfChinaAirForce #TaiwanAirForce #rocaf #Falcon #GeneralDynamics The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. In the 1970s, facing escalating threats from across the strait, Taiwan sought to enhance its fighter capabilities. Initially pursuing the sale of F-4 Phantom jets from the United States without success, Taiwan then aimed to acquire the newly-produced F-16. However, circumstances did not align with their intentions. Taiwan, left with no choice, embarked on its own journey of developing the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF). It wasn't until the 1990s, when the international landscape changed, that Taiwan's pursuit of foreign fighter jets came to light. In 1992, in a bid for re-election, U.S. President George Bush agreed to sell Taiwan 150 F-16A/B fighter jets (Batch designated as Block 20). These F-16s utilized the F-16 Block 15 airframe with Block 50 wings and avionics featuring beyond-visual-range combat capabilities. As a result, their overall performance closely approached that of the F-16C/D. These F-16s could engage in air defense, ground attack, anti-ship operations, and even aerial reconnaissance, earning them the reputation of being the Taiwanese Air Force's most versatile workhorses. In 2017, Taiwan's F-16 fleet underwent a mid-life upgrade, with the installation of advanced AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radars, a new generation mission computer, and the addition of Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (HMCS) and AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. Lockheed Martin dubbed this performance enhancement the "Viper" upgrade, and it's commonly referred to as the F-16V. The F-16V boasts the ability to carry modern weapon pods, with the capacity to hold up to 16 AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). With increased funding for the development of Small Advanced Capability Missiles (SACM), a smaller but longer-ranged air-to-air missile, the F-16V's payload can potentially reach 24 SACMs, in addition to 4 AIM-120 missiles, amounting to a total of 28 air-to-air missiles. Assisted by airborne early warning aircraft or other fighter jets, a single F-16V can engage multiple targets. In 2019, U.S. President Trump approved the sale of 66 of the latest variant of F-16, often referred to as the F-16V (Block 70), to Taiwan. If successfully delivered, the Republic of China Air Force will become the world's largest operator of the F-16V.