The General Dynamics F16 Falcon is an American single-engine multi-role light fighter and attack aircraft. Work on the F-16 project began in 1971 at General Dynamics (which in 1993 was part of the giant Lockheed Martin), taking part in the competition for a light multi-role fighter (LWF) for the United States Air Force. The YF-16 prototype first flew on February 2, 1974. A breakthrough in technical terms was the use of a computerized electric fly-by-wire control system, which allowed to reduce the area of the wings and tail, and therefore reduce the weight of the entire aircraft. The F-16 was the first fighter in the world to use such a system. The first versions were largely made of aluminum alloys (about 83% of the total structure), but over time they gave way to composites. Different versions of the F-16 are equipped with three versions of engines: Pratt-Whitney F-100-PW-200, General Electric F110-GE100 and Pratt-Whitney F-100-PW-2020. The "brain" of the guidance system was the APG-66 radar, later replaced by the APG-68 (V) radar. It is worth noting that the YF-16 design was so successful that it not only won the LWF competition in the USA (in competition with the Northrop YF-17 aircraft), but also won the century-old contract for a multi-role fighter for European NATO countries. Its rivals were the Dassault Mirage F.1 and the SAAB J-37 Viggen. Serial production of the F-16 began in 1975. It was also attended by European NATO countries, for whom it was the introduction of new aviation technologies. Final assembly was carried out in the USA, Belgium and the Netherlands.
