Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia

F-16I Soufa (Storm) is a modified variant of the F-16D block 50 and 52 fighter and ground attack aircraft, with the avionics and weapons systems capability modified to meet the requirements of the Israeli Air Force. Israel ordered 50 F-16I aircraft in 2001 and signed the agreement for an optional additional 52 aircraft in September 2001. The Israeli Air Force has selected the F16I in a two-seat configuration only.

The production programme, called Peace Marble V, is the fifth acquisition of F-16s. It increased the number of Israeli Air Force F-16 aircraft to 362, giving the IAF the largest fleet of F-16 fighters apart from the US.

The F16I made its maiden flight in December 2003. The first two aircraft were delivered to the IAF at the Ramon Air Base, in February 2004. Deliveries were completed at a rate of about two a month over four years, with final delivery in 2009. There is a significant level of airframe co-production and avionics component production in Israel for the Soufa and for other variants of the F-16. IAI and Cyclone Aviation Products in Carmiel manufacture the ventral fins, rudders, horizontal stabilisers and engine access doors. The aircraft are assembled at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Elbit supplied the aircraft’s central mission computer, the signal processing unit for the displays and the stores management systems. RADA Electronics Industries in Netanya, Israel, and Smiths Aerospace, USA, have developed the aircraft’s data acquisition system with an advanced digital data server and data recording system. Israel Military Industries supplies most of the weapons pylons and racks and the external fuel tanks.

Lockheed / Martin aircraft

Lockheed / Martin aircraft
F-16 block 52+ Soufa fighter

General Info

Crew: 1 Length: 49 ft 5 in (15.06 m) Wingspan: 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m) Height: 16 ft (4.9 m) Wing area: 300 sq ft (28 m²)

Powerplant

- The fighter is powered by the Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-229 increased performance engine (IPE). This new, more powerful engine allows the aircraft a maximum take-off weight of 23,582kg. The aircraft is also fitted with heavyweight landing gear.

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.05, 1,176 kn (1,353 mph; 2,178 km/h) at 40,000 feet, clean
- Mach 1.2, 800 kn (921 mph; 1,482 km/h) at sea level
Combat range: 295 nmi (339 mi, 546 km) on a hi-lo-hi mission with 4 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs
Ferry range: 2,277 nmi (2,620 mi, 4,217 km) with drop tanks
Service ceiling: (15,000 m)
g limits: +9.0
Roll rate: 324°/s

F-16I radar

The aircraft has the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-68(V)9 multi-mode radar, which has five times the processing speed and ten times the memory capacity of the previous APG-68 radars on the F-16. Elta is involved in the co-production of the radar.

Special Links IAI Aerospace F-16I Soufa fighter

Links to Youtube & Others

Other new features include a colour moving map display, digital video recording equipment, cockpit lighting and external strip lighting compatible with night vision goggles and a high capacity data transfer set.

Lockheed/Martin
F-16I Soufa fighter

On May 2, 2011, while on patrol near the Nuristan province of Afghanistan, U. S. Air Force Maj. John Caldwell peered out from the bubbled canopy of his F-16 and saw nothing but desert.

Youtube Link

Lockheed Martin delivered the 4,500th F-16 Fighting Falcon in March 2012. Follow this aircraft's amazing legacy.

Lockheed
IAF F-16 Block 50/52
Soufa "Storm"

Lockheed / GD
F-16I Soufa "Storm"

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History General Dynamics / Lockheed
F-16I Soufa "Storm"

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Photo Gallery
General Dynamics / Lockheed
F-16I Soufa fighter "Storm"