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After seeing an image of an F-16C Blk25 from Luke with its RWR "beer can" on the leading edge of the flaps, I went and digged for some info. As it is stated on this website under "Versions", I learned that apparently blocks earlier than Blk30 were later retrofitted with the beer can. Can anyone confirm that? Since, unitil now, I've always thought of the "leading edge RWR" as a means to distinguish Blk25s from Blk30/32s.

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I thought they were installed whenever the RWS (ALR-56?) was upgraded on a jet.

Last edited by Iron_Eagle on Apr 13, 2004 - 07:48 PM; edited 1 time in total

Thanks h2. But, can you be a little more specific? So you're saying the RWS not present on earlier Blk25s but later upgraded and do you know which units got the upgrade. So far, I've only noticed it on LF's Falcons.

RWS was present but the RWS system was different, and had different antenna locations. I'm not 100% sure on this but I think the ALR-56 replaced the ALR-69. The earlier system had antenna behind the bumps on either side of the forward fuselage, just aft of the radome. The later system moved the antenna locations out to the wing leading edge, inside the "beer cans". The old nose bumps remain but are empty. Someone more familiar with these systems may be able to add more or correct what I wrote.

The upgrades are done fleet-wide in phases as part of an ECP (Engineering Change Proposal) process.

Yo ho!

Seems that our RWR had ambiguities as far as direction of the 'threats'. Maybe some sensitivity problems, as well.

So, about 1983, some tests were done and RHAW antennas were added to the leading edge flaps.

Latest birds were Block 15 at the time, so it could be that Block 25's had first 'beercans'.

I also note that there are 'bumps' ahead of the canopy in later blocks.

Thanks all for the clarification! I'm now sure that the beer cans can no longer provide me with a way to differentiate the blocks.

EDIT: I hate it when your connection hasn't moved in an eternity and you refresh the page it double posts! Mad

Iron_Eagle wrote:

Thanks all for the clarification! I'm now sure that the beer cans can no longer provide me with a way to differentiate the blocks.

That is correct.

(Looks at picture and cringes.)

You'd *never* see my jet that dirty outside of phase.
______________
A1C "Flip" Wilson
F-16CG/DG Crew Chief
Triple Nickel AMU
Aviano AB, Italy

F-16.net Editor Joined: Sep 23, 2003 Posts: 2862

FlipWilson wrote:

(Looks at picture and cringes.)

You'd *never* see my jet that dirty outside of phase.
______________
A1C "Flip" Wilson
F-16CG/DG Crew Chief
Triple Nickel AMU
Aviano AB, Italy

Could be just the contrast and low resolution of the photo? The dirtiest jets I have ever seen were USMC Harriers.

elp wrote:

FlipWilson wrote:

(Looks at picture and cringes.)

You'd *never* see my jet that dirty outside of phase.
______________
A1C "Flip" Wilson
F-16CG/DG Crew Chief
Triple Nickel AMU
Aviano AB, Italy

Could be just the contrast and low resolution of the photo? The dirtiest jets I have ever seen were USMC Harriers.

With the new paint we are getting with the CCIP modification our airplanes are difficult to clean how the TO for the paint directs, and make it look good. We are restircted to soft brushes and water, or a specific kind of soap that doesn't really help anything at all.

habu2 wrote:

I thought they were installed whenever the RWS (ALR-56?) was upgraded on a jet.

The 40s we had at Hill had the beercans before they went for Falcon UP. They had ALR-69 before they left and came back with ALR-56M, so that's not a good way to tell what RWR system a jet has. As far as I know nothing changed with these antennas.

As a sidenote, I heard that the bugeye antennas on 1202 and 1101 are going to be used again in the birds that have the beercans.

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F-16C Blk25's RWR on Leading Edge?