Boeing QF-16 (Fighting Falcon)

Unmanned Target and Training Drone [ 2015 ]

Boeing is converting a retired stock of Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters for the unmanned target drone role.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/21/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from official Boeing marketing material.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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QF-16 is the designation assigned to retired Lockheed Martin F-16 "Fighting Falcon" multirole fighters reconstituted as full-scale, unmanned drone aircraft. The QF-16 - converted through a Boeing-led program - succeeds the outgoing line of McDonnell Douglas F-4 "Phantom II" multirole fighters converted by BAe to become the "QF-4". The QF-16 series will be featured as an aerial target for training purposes as well as to develop new aerial doctrine and test new technologies.

Six modified F-16s currently make up the QF-16 fleet (as of 2015) and these currently serve the 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron (ATS) of the United States Air Force (USAF). Testing is done at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.

The existing F-16 airframe is outfitted by Boeing engineers with new equipment allowing for automated take-off and landing, preset maneuvers execution and high-speed, high-altitude flight. These ex-USAF aircraft - mainly F-16A and F-16C production models - carry the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200, -220 or -229 or the General Electric F110-GE-100 or -129 series turbofan engines offering afterburning capability which allows the fourth generation airframe to reach supersonic speeds and enter high agility movements to better represent modern air targets to be encountered by American airmen today. Additionally, the aircraft retains a full-working defensive suit which serves against incoming radar tracking and seeking air-to-air missiles - offering a greater challenge to the student pilot. Should the QF-16 become unresponsive to the operators or a danger near civilian areas its flight can be terminated in-air with the loss of the entire aircraft.

The QF-16 program has reached several milestones since its development began - it flew with an empty cockpit on September 23rd, 2013 to much publicity. In August of 2014 it was reported that the aircraft responded successfully to a ground-based missile live fire test. However, instead of directly targeting the unmanned aircraft with the missile (and risking its total loss), a Ground Control Station (GCS) sent the missile to a specific coordinate in the airspace near the QF-16 with the data collection system aboard the QF-16 validating that the missile did in fact reach the coordinates. After data comparison from both the GCS and QF-16, the missile was able to hit its "target".

Beyond the stated scope of the program, it is not out of the realm of possibility that data garnered from the QF-16 project will serve a full-sized unmanned fighter platform in the near future.

In April of 2016 it was announced that Boeing won a contract to manufacture an additional 30 QF-16 systems. The work is expected to be completed by April of 2018.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

2015

Origin

United States

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

0
UNMANNED

Production

126
UNITS

Boeing Company - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.

Length

49.2 ft
(15.00 m)

Width/Span

32.6 ft
(9.95 m)

Height

16.0 ft
(4.88 m)

Empty Wgt

18,894 lb
(8,570 kg)

MTOW

42,329 lb
(19,200 kg)

Wgt Diff

+23,435 lb
(+10,630 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Boeing QF-16 production variant)

Installed: 1 x Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200/220/229 OR General Electric F110-GE-100/129 afterburning turbofan engine developing 28,600 lb of thrust.

Max Speed

901 mph
(1,450 kph | 783 kts)

Ceiling

50,000 ft
(15,240 m | 9 mi)

Range

2,610 mi
(4,200 km | 7,778 nm)

Rate-of-Climb

50,000 ft/min
(15,240 m/min)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Boeing QF-16 production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None. Explosives carried should the air vehicle become unresponsive in flight.

Supported Types

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Hardpoint Mountings: 0

QF-16 - Base series designation; based on the General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon airframe.

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Images Gallery

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Image of the Boeing QF-16 (Fighting Falcon)

Image from official Boeing marketing material.

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