F-16 Reference
5th Gen Fighters
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Introduction
Venezuela was the first Latin-American country who got permission from the US to buy F-16s. They stayed the sole operator in Southern America untill Chile received their new F-16s in the course of 2005.
Inventory
Peace Delta
 The F-16s on the flightline at El Libertador are protected from the blazing sun by sheds. Just before take-off they are towed out and readied for flight. In May 1982, the government of Venezuela signed an agreement to buy 18 Block 15 F-16A's and six Block 15 F-16B's to replace the fleet of Mirage III interceptors and Mirage 5 ground-attack aircraft serving with the Fuerza Aérea Venezolana. This purchase was under the Peace Delta Foreign Military Sales program.
However, the Venzuelan order was not approved immediately because the US government wanted to sell Venezuela the F-16/79 (a slightly degraded F-16 version developed for export orders) instead. In 1983, the US government abandoned its hopes of selling the F-16/79, and finally approved the sale of the F100-powered F-16s to Venezuela
The FAV accepted its first aircraft in September 1983. FAV F-16s wear an attractive green/brown color scheme, with the insignia of the Aviacion de Combate (Combat Aviation) on the tail and roundels on the wings. A four-digit serial is painted on the fuselage just below the tail fin.
FAV Inventory
| Program |
Model |
Block |
Qty. |
Serials |
Delivered |
| Peace Delta |
F-16A |
Block 15 |
18 |
1041, 0051
6611, 8900
0678, 3260
7268, 9068
8924, 0094
6023, 4226
5422,
6426
4827, 9864
3648, 0220 |
1982-1984 |
| F-16B |
Block 15 |
6 |
1715, 2179
9581, 2337
7635, 9583
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1982-1984 |
Of the original 24 aircraft that Venezuela bought, three have crashed: the first two, due to engine failure, and the second one, an F-16B, crashed during a maneuver on an air show at Base Aerea El Libertador, where Grupo 16 is based. In this accident, the first and second commander of the squadron where killed. The Venezuelan Air Force was looking for US government approval to replace these two aircraft and was planning to overhaul and update the remaining 22 airframes. At the end of October 1997, the US government approved the sale of the two F-16s, as well as an upgrade packet including the F-100-PW-220E. However, the purchase of the two attrition airframes has been halted until further notice.
Modifications & Armament
Armament
 FAV F-16B #2337 in the 2003 "Grupo Aereo de Caza N 16 20th Anniversary" color scheme over Maracay sky. FAV F-16s have been updated to accomodate the AIM-9L Sidewinder missile. Standard armament for air support missions is 6x Mk.82 or 2x Mk.84, 4 AIM-9L Sidewinder and one centerline drop tank. CBU's and rockets are also available in the FAV inventory. During the 1997 air show at El Libertador, a FAV F-16A fitted with the Israeli Litening pod was shown in the static display. According to a pilot, the remainder of the ordered pods was to follow shortly, together with an unspecified number of PGM's (Precision Guided Munitions), probably also of Israeli origin.
During the Miranda 98 exercise (held in Venezuela starting February 8th, with French aircraft, en-route to Red Flag 98-2), the Venezuelan Mirage 50V's and F-16s trained on daylight PGM delivery using the new Litening pods (carried only by the F-16s). This implies that at least some PGM's were already delivered by that date.
It is also indicated that the Israeli Python IV missile is to be integrated with Venzuelan F-16s with an unspecified number (reportedly around 180) already being delivered.
Upgrade programs
Early 1998, the rumor went that the FAV was looking to upgrade its F-16A/B force to F-16C/D standard. Up to now, no further details have been released.
In 2003, rumour circulated that Venezuela signed a contract with the Belgian SABCA plant to overhaul its fleet of F-16s, and upgrade them under the Falcon-Up program to extend service life. This rumour has not been confirmed yet.
Operational Service
Units
Please refer to the F-16 Units section for an overview of units.
Deployments
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Combat
FAV F-16s were used in combat during the military coup on November 27th, 1992 against Carlos Andres Perez (at that time President of Venezuela). We are currently working on an accurate account of those events.
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Special thanks
- Omar R. Quintero G.;
- Juan I. Sosa Abascal;
- Alexander Coletta;
- Chuck Corway.
Errors and Omissions
Aug 10, 2004 - 12:19 AM
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the Falcon were not used against President, but to defend him and governement, shotting down 4 OV-10 and a couple of T-27 tucanos. 2 F-16 prepared at daily alert, scrambled from El Libertador without suitcases, there the plane were refueled and from Vicente Landaet base, then launched CAP series against Mirages, t-27 and OV-10, controlling the coup and giving psicological power to democratic forces.
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Sep 16, 2004 - 07:43 PM
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The Falcon flown for the rebel band, when one F-16 flown during the coup´s last moment by rebel pilots. This aircraft and its crew executed a supersonic flight over CCS, causing one of the most remarkable facts of the day. The official report aim to Lt.Col Luis Reyes (now State Governor and then in the backseat) and Lt. Luis Plaza (Now retired, and then in the front cockpit) like the pilots in command.
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Nov 02, 2004 - 04:48 AM
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One of the crew was Lt.Col. Luis Reyes Reyes, now governor of Lara State under the Chavez's regime, and he DID break the sound barrier over CCS that day, almost over my house, not far from Francisco de Miranda AFB (also known as La Carlota). The news that he was flying an F-16 Falcon that day, is not confirmed in my opinion. To my best knowledge, Reyes Reyes was a Mirage pilot, not a Falcon's one, unless he was effectively in the back seat of a F-16B Falcon two-seater. Unfortunately, I couldn't see the plane, I was inside my home, so I only heard the sonic bang at that moment. Unforgettable !
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Apr 13, 2005 - 08:06 PM
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In fact two aircraft broke the sound barrier over Caracas that day, and they did it in quick succession. Lt. Col. Reyes Reyes was not flying an F-16, but rather a Mirage. He was being chased by an F-16 loyal to the legally constituted government when both aircraft went supersonic over Caracas.
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Dec 20, 2005 - 05:06 AM
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OV-10
As far as I know the OV-10 was destroyed by a .50 cal. gun situated at the National Guard hangar, at La Carlota Airport and not by F-16 fire. There were not F-16 or Mirage over Caracas when this OV-10 went down. By the way, there is a good video taken by an amateur photographer from a nearby building, you can see clearly how the pilot ejects from the OV-10. Also as far as I know, no pilot wanted to kill good old friends, that's why nobody shooted down any "enemy" airplane, for example nobody wanted to shoot down a C-130 which fleed to Peru with several airforce commanders inside, involved in this coup.
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Jun 26, 2006 - 03:10 AM
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F16 versus OV-10 - eye witness 1982 events
3 OV-10s piloted by rebels came from the east, low flying over sugarcane fields to avoid radar detection, bound to Landaeta AFB in Barquisimeto. Housing, air base attacked. Also a commercial DC-9 unboarding passangers in the apron was targeted. 1 F16 piloted by loyals came from the east too, chasing OV-10s. I saw 2 OV-10s hunted by the F16, one in the west side, the other few miles east side. At least 1 OV-10 pilot ejected successfuly. In this specific event, F16s were on democracy side, not against.
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Dec 24, 2006 - 04:47 PM
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F16 vs Mirage
As far as I have read, Capt. Labarca was in the Falcon chasing the Mirage in which Lt. Reyes was. This officer along with Lt. Vielma accounted for most of the actions that drew the rebels out of the sky. It seems that grupo 16 didn't join the coup attempt and whatever planes were flying were doing so in support of the democratic government
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Jan 04, 2007 - 01:38 AM
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OV-10s/F-16s
I was in a high rise apartment in Colinas de Santa Monica over looking Fuerte Tiuna and the Hipodome during the attempted coup. I saw two OV-10s hit buy surface to air missiles. As I recall the Vens were using Swedish RBS-70 MANPADS. One OV-10 was hit mid-morning, knocking out one engine and probably doing other damage. It was the one that tried to make the landing at La Carlota, where the pilot punched out before crashing. The second hit was some time later, flying in the vicinity of the Minister of Defense's house. I believe he flew back to his home base. I also remember seeing the F-16s. I recall that they had no air to air missiles and were only armed with guns. I also vividly remember seeing at least one approaching the city making no noise, only to be followed a second or two later with the sonic boom that seemed to grow louder as it worked its way up the valley. There was lots of chatter after that on the brick radios by the MILGRP and DATT staff thinking that some 500lb bombs had been dropped.
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Jan 25, 2007 - 06:41 AM
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F-16 Rules
I used to live in Caracas at the feet of El Avila Mountain. From my apartment I had a great view of all eastern part of the city and El Avila itself. Early morning I saw three Tucano flying low, circling over and firing rockets against the Police Academy building in La Urbina, totally unopposed. Around noon I witnessed the same action carried out by two Broncos. But this time was different, all the sudden the Broncos stopped the attack and started flying toward El Avila. Out of nowhere a loyal F-16 maneuvered to get behind the Broncos and started shooting with its cannon. I know that because I saw smoke coming from the front of the F-16. Yes it was that close. The Broncos managed to turn, very close to the mountain. The F-16 that was flying much faster, avoided the mountain by performing a very tight turn. I thought for a moment that the F-16 was going to crash. The Broncos escaped unharmed and flew toward the west very close to the mountain. Late in the afternoon I saw a Mirage 50 flying very fast and very close to the mountain as well; this time towards the east. The plane passed over my apartment building. I heard the sonic boom. At the beginning I thought that it was the explosion of a bomb dropped by the plane. I didn’t see any other plane after that. I didn’t see any F-16 in pursue of the Mirage but some friends from the military told me that in fact an F-16 intercepted the rebel Mirage. They didn’t tell me why the F-16 didn’t shoot down the Mirage. The Mirage’s pilot landed the plane in Aruba As all you guys may know, the Libertador AB, major air base in Venezuela was in control of the rebels and then retaken by the Army loyal forces. The army opened a whoop-ass can and army tanks started beating the crap out of the rebel’s positions. They destroyed the control tower, many planes parked in the base and some other facilities around. Some rebels Tucanos and helicopters tried to stop an armored column entering the base; in this action one army light tank was destroyed. The leaders of the rebellion escaped in a C-130 Hercules that flew undetected over Colombia to Peru. Colombian air force is still wondering how they did it.
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