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    The F-16XL: A Groundbreaking Fighter That Was Overlooked in the USAF’s Pursuit of Supercruise and Payload Dominance

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    The F-16XL #1 (NASA 849) takes off for the first flight of the Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) on December 16, 1997. Original from NASA. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.” by Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel is licensed under CC BY 2.0

    In the 1980s, during escalating Cold War tensions and advancements in technology, the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon became a symbol of American air superiority.

    Yet, it is a lesser-known variant of this iconic jet—the F-16XL—that captures a fascinating subplot in the history of military aviation, one that reflects both the ambition of aerospace engineering and the pragmatic considerations of defense procurement.

    The roll-out of the first F-16XL on July 2, 1982, was a moment charged with the promise of technological supremacy.

    The new variant, envisioned as a supercruising, payload-doubling force multiplier, promised to extend the cutting edge of America’s air combat capabilities.

    Lt. Gen. Lawrence A. Skantze, Commander of Aeronautical Systems Division at the time, celebrated the F-16 program’s success and eyed the future, where the F-16XL might redefine air superiority.

    As D. Randall Kent, Vice President and Program Director for the General Dynamics F-16XL program, succinctly put it, the fighter had “conclusively demonstrated that the XL performs as predicted,” offering the Air Force a low-risk, high-payoff opportunity.

    Despite its perceived advantages, the F-16XL faced an uphill battle in securing its place in the skies.

    The Dual-Role Fighter program was the battlefield where the F-16XL’s fate would be decided.

    F-15E Strike Eagle 007” by AirmanMagazine is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

    Competing head-to-head with the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, the F-16XL’s superior payload and range were remarkable—it could carry twice the payload of the F-16A up to 44% farther without external fuel tanks, while still boasting four AMRAAM and two Sidewinder missiles.

    Its delta-wing design enabled a 25% improvement in maximum lift-to-drag ratio supersonically, and an 11% improvement subsonically over its predecessor.

    The aircraft also demonstrated enhanced survivability through improved maneuverability and a reduced radar signature due to its configuration shaping.

    However, the F-16XL fell prey to the very advancements it championed. The promise of supercruise and its substantial payload capabilities, which might have crowned it as the reigning dual-role champion, were overshadowed by the pressing realities of defense economics and strategic redundancy.

    91-0305 57th Wing McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle” by TDelCoro is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

    In February 1984, the F-15E Strike Eagle—a proven platform already in production—was selected as the more cost-effective solution, leaving the F-16XL to linger as a revolutionary concept rather than an operational reality.

    Following the competition, both F-16XL prototypes were relegated to the annals of experimental flight.

    F-22 Raptor Whisper Pass” by w4nd3rl0st (InspiredinDesMoines) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

    They found a second life with NASA, engaging in advanced aerodynamics research that contributed to the development of future aviation technologies, including the supercruise capability later realized in the F-22 Raptor.

    Relevant articles:
    The Revolutionary Evolution of the F-16XL, Air & Space Forces Magazine
    The ultimate F, F-16.net
    F-16XL: The Experimental Warplane the Air Force Never Flew, The National Interest, Nov 17, 2023
    F-16XL: The Stunning F-16 On ‘Beast Mode’ Built to Replace the F-111, The National Interest, Dec 15, 2023

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