Initially, the F-16 was designed only as a light fighter, however, high demand led to its further development into an all-weather, multi-role fighter. Since the start of series production in 1976, over 4,570 units have been built.

When the F-16 entered service in 1978, it introduced several technical innovations, including the bubble canopy without struts for improved all-round visibility, a side-mounted control stick for easier operation, a pilot seat tilted at 30° for improved g-force absorption, and a fly-by-wire system. All of these measures served to give the F-16 a high degree of manoeuvrability, since the Vietnam War had shown that air combat would continue to be conducted primarily in close-quarters or cornering combat.

Thus, the F-16 “Fighting Falcon” is considered the most manoeuvrable fighter aircraft in the world – even today, the multi-role fighter jet is still technically state of the art thanks to ongoing updates and is still considered the benchmark for modern military aircraft.

The F-16’s great export success – especially among smaller NATO air forces – meant that the aircraft was still being used by 25 nations in 2014. As of early 2014, there were still 2,281 F-16s in service, which was roughly 15% of all active fighter jets worldwide, making it the most widely deployed aircraft.

As an airshow without the F-16 would be like a Formula 1 race without a Ferrari, it is naturally also represented at AIRPOWER24.

Different versions of the F-16 will be sent to AIRPOWER24 by Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands, and Türkiye and can be admired in both the flying display and the static display.