U.S. Air Force Certifies Structural Modifications of F-16 Fighter | Aviation International News

U.S. Air Force Certifies Structural Modifications of F-16 Fighter

The Air Force authorized F-16 Block 40-52 flight operations to 12,000 hours, potentially extending the fighter's service life into the 2040s.

An F-16 undergoes durability testing at Lockheed Martin's full-scale durability test facility in Fort Worth. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

April 19, 2017

The U.S. Air Force has validated that F-16 Block 40-52 fighters could safely fly 4,000 hours beyond their design service lives with planned structural modifications. Manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced the military flight release (MFR) authorization earlier this month, weeks after confirming that it will relocate F-16 production from Fort Worth, Texas, to Greenville, S.C.

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