Forum: General F-16 forum

In searching this site, it has been several years since this topic came up. I read in an article today that QF-16s will replace the QF-4s starting in 2012. Any new news on this and will they be J79 equipped as was thought previously? Block 15/20? AMARC refurbs or airframes retired right into 'Q' status?

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I've never seen a proposal to use J79 engines; there are plenty of F100-PW-200 motors for use in the QF-16s. With the inclusion of the Block 30 aircraft, they will most likely use old F110-GE-100s or convert the aircraft to use F100s (Easier IMO than using a J79)

Converting airframes for different engines would be something so expensive it would have been included in the contract proposal(s). There are many documents and I haven't read all of them.

Here is the actual wording in the contract from: https://www.fbo.gov/index?tab=documents ... bmode=list

Quote:

Non-recurring Engineering (NRE) and related support for design, development/integration, build/procurement, and test of a drone-peculiar equipment (DPE) package and installation modification for conversion of F-16 aircraft to QF-16 FSATs and related special test equipment (STE)/drone peculiar support equipment (PSE) in accordance with (IAW) Section C. Contractor-developed DPE/STE/PSE hardware requirements that are deliverable are as follows:

Modification of two (2) each Blk-15/-25/-30 F-16 aircraft into prototype QF-16 test beds.

Procurement/development of special test equipment (STE)/drone-peculiar support equipment (PSE).

One (1) each composite set intermediate/depot-level STE required in- the-factory [to include applicable vendor(s)/sub-contractor(s) items] to support DPE production and production support as determined by Contractor.

Two (2) each sets organizational-level PSE for in-factory use [system-level end-to-end checkout/acceptance test procedure (ATP)/pre-mission test procedure (PMT) and portable flight-line test set].

QF-16 test bed and STE/PSE acceptance will be deferred IAW EGLIN-H006.

All STE/PSE procured/developed during the Pre-System Design and development (pre-SDD) contract phase will be delivered in-place at the end of SDD contract phase for Contractor use for the duration of the contract with final acceptance by/delivery to the Government at the end of the contract.

Keep 'em flyin' Thumb

TEG

Yeah the J79 didn't seem to make any sense to me. The only reason I mentioned it was in doing a search here, a thread from 2006 spoke of it at length. Thanks for the link TEG. No time frame given though. I'm not sure how many QF-4s they have left.

darkvarkguy wrote:

Yeah the J79 didn't seem to make any sense to me. The only reason I mentioned it was in doing a search here, a thread from 2006 spoke of it at length. Thanks for the link TEG. No time frame given though. I'm not sure how many QF-4s they have left.

That is a good point you made; how many flyable F-4s are left?

Without 'donor' F-4s to supply the J79s where would you get them? I don' think they are still in production, but why would you purchase brand new engines to simply use them as targets?!?

Two Cents

Much easier to get the PW-200s back in flyable condition for Target Vipers. PW-100s out of the old F-15s would work too, unless they have plans for QF-15As too?

TEG

QF-15s would be too expensive. At least that's the word on the street.

An MQF-15A would make an AWESOME bomb truck in any AOR! Twisted Evil

TEG

Supposedly they have enough F-4's to operate thru 2014. QF-16's will be up and running by then but in very small numbers as test aircraft.

That is going to be a sad day when the "Q's" start flying.

But on the other hand, I know there are a few tail numbers some
people would like to see end up in the drink...

Better go down in flames than to rust away in the desert...

After seeing the Civilian SU-27s on the open market at $5M each, you'd think the USAF would see the $$ and wake up!

If they could sell just 25 F-16As at $4M each, (Versus letting them rot, blasting them to bits, or selling them for scrap aluminum) that would be $100M they could use for safety upgrades and fixes to existing Vipers~!

TEG

That_Engine_Guy wrote:

After seeing the Civilian SU-27s on the open market at $5M each, you'd think the USAF would see the $$ and wake up!

If they could sell just 25 F-16As at $4M each, (Versus letting them rot, blasting them to bits, or selling them for scrap aluminum) that would be $100M they could use for safety upgrades and fixes to existing Vipers~!

TEG

Warbirds do make their way into civilian hands. Besides, simulations can only go so far. The only way to know if the missile actually works to test it on a real aircraft.

That_Engine_Guy wrote:

After seeing the Civilian SU-27s on the open market at $5M each, you'd think the USAF would see the $$ and wake up!

If they could sell just 25 F-16As at $4M each, (Versus letting them rot, blasting them to bits, or selling them for scrap aluminum) that would be $100M they could use for safety upgrades and fixes to existing Vipers~!

TEG

One could only hope that a number of F-16's would be made available as warbirds. Affording them on the other hand could present a problem. However if I had the money available, I would be all over it.

Who actually operates and performs modifications to the "Q" series aircraft? Is it an Air Force function withn Material Command or is it contracted like nearly everything else?

I say we save as many Phantoms as we can and immediately start blowing up F-16s. Wink

I was starting to wonder how long it was going to take to get a comment like that from one of the old Phantom guys! Good call!