F-16 Block 60 informal roll-out photos

One of our visitors submitted this photograph, showing the first F-16 Block 60 during the informal roll-out in early November 2003.

This image was included in the <a href="http://www.vickers-systems.com/news.asp#2title">Eaton press release</A>. Sorry, no larger images available.

PS (addition on Nov.26th): on Page 3 of this topic, you'll find high-res versions of this photograph

stefaan

Hi Stefaan,

Is that a UAE Viper? And is that a Sniper "Pantera" pod!?, a IRST!? Lastly, it is either the 60 has a larger than the normal MCID intake for the GE132 engine, or I need to changes my glasses.

cheers,

What I wanna know is where they've move the pitot tube to.

The pitot tube is still where it has always been, unfortunately the angle at which the pic was taken it blends in with the right wing in the background. I have seen a lot of vipers from this angle, it is hard to distinguish from that angle. Yes the intake is indeed larger, it actually looks wider than anything else .

Rigo

What are those on the left of the picture ... a/c or a/cs , one above the other?

Anyone have a high resolution pic that we can see closer details?

Rigamortis wrote:The pitot tube is still where it has always been,

Eh...no...
From CodeOne:

Other distinguishing external characteristics include a targeting pod with faceted windows, no pitot tube, strip lighting on the wings and vertical tail, an air scoop on the forward right tail root, a small exhaust on the forward left tail root, and two other exhaust ports—

And lookie:

Two observations (just that, I'm making semi-educated guesses):

The intake does indeed look larger in that photo although I have not read anything that indicates the intake changed. However, the Block 60 is getting the F110-GE-132, it could be the -132 has even higher air mass flow requirements than the -129.

As for the pitot tube, I had heard that it is not on the tip of the Block 60 radome. I don't know where they moved it, but as to why I would guess it has something to do with the AN/APG-80 AESA radar.

Back to the intake question, I know there were initially some stability problems at certain altitudes and attitudes when the MCID was first flown, especially with a centerline tank. Changes were made to the control laws to accomodate the differences. I would imagine there will be similar tests done on the Block 60 before it leaves flight test.

To all:

Flight international magazine published in 2001, and probably is still available, a full colour cutaway poster showing full details of the F-16 block 60. It shows no pitot tube at the end of the radome.

check 6.

Hi Habu,

I believe the pitot/static tube is there in the picture. Check out the F-16I Lockheed Martin Hi-Res picture. There're having the same test radome. hawkeye, if I read you correctly, the 2 UFOs that you have mentioned is part of the radome.

cheers,

Well if they're using the same test radome, then of course it has the extended test probe sticking out of the front. But that top view of the UAE bird doesn't show a pitot tube on the end of the radome, or anywhere else.

Pumpkin, the "F-16I" is a Block 52+ not a Block 60, and I believe the 52+ has the APG-68 radar set not the APG-80.

Habu is right - if the airplane is (going to Edwards) for flight test then it will be fitted with the test boom, not the production nose.

Question, I thought the Block 60 was gonna have some extra hardpoints... I don't see them anywhere...

Block 60 wing size has not changed from earlier models so I doubt there would be any more wing stations.

I believe they are actually test probes attached to the nose cone to measure angle of attack and yaw, due to the different a/c confi of the blk 60, you can find these attached to many test aircraft.