F-16 for Conversion into QF-16 Aerial Drone

[WAQAS119]

F-16 for Conversion into QF-16 Aerial Drone

ACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 27, 2010 -- The first retired F-16 Falcon arrived at Boeing's [NYSE: BA] Cecil Field facility in Jacksonville on April 22 to begin conversion into a QF-16 aerial drone. Boeing received a $69.7 million contract from the U.S. Air Force on March 8 for the first phase of the QF-16 program.

The Boeing-led team, which includes BAE Systems, will begin engineering, manufacturing and development of the full-scale manned and unmanned QF-16s during Phase 1. The drones will be used as aerial targets for newly developed weapons and tactics. They will be a higher-performing aircraft than the QF-4s they will replace.

The team will receive six F-16s during the program's development phase. After modification to the QF-16 configuration, they will serve as prototypes for engineering tests and evaluation prior to low-rate initial production. Up to 126 QF-16 drones will be converted beginning in 2014.

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Pakistan should also think in this direction....

 

[Patriot]

Think what - Do you want to convert our f-16's into target drones?Dude only US can afford such expensive ventures.We could convert old F-7's though when they retire.

 

[pak-yes]

What about F-6s we retired?

 

[applesauce]

convert all types of the old and useless, but still flying planes into drone

 

[IndianArmy]

I heard China and India are too Into such things....

 

[sunil99]

convert all types of the old and useless, but still flying planes into drone

I think only those having "Fly by wire" can be converted, ie cost effective...can also used as a cruise missile .. with radar jamming.

 

[Comet]

Nopes. We shouldn't think in this direction, now. It damn Expensive thing to do.

 

[ramu]

Think what - Do you want to convert our f-16's into target drones?Dude only US can afford such expensive ventures.We could convert old F-7's though when they retire.

Fair point ... It is just a waste of money.

Use something of this sort for targets

 

[Patriot]

Fair point ... It is just a waste of money.

Use something of this sort for targets

We've been using target drones since 60's but that is much of an issue i think real fighter drones are much better.Imagine if the pilot at ground station has the ability to maneuver etc..he can test the real ability of missile by manoeuvrings etc...

 

[ramu]

We've been using target drones since 60's but that is much of an issue i think real fighter drones are much better.Imagine if the pilot at ground station has the ability to maneuver etc..he can test the real ability of missile by manoeuvrings etc...

Correct but what stops fly by wire systems on UAVs and coming up with systems that satisfy closely the real battle scenario. Surely F16s are too good a kit to blow them away!

 

[Kompromat]

Small but does the work

The TORNADO is a lightweight, high-speed, mini-turbojet decoy system with autonomous navigation, pre-strike decoy and fire & forget capabilities.

A TORNADO system consists of 8 decoy aircraft, a pneumatic catapult launcher system and a portable ground station for pre-programming mission profiles. The TORNADO is designed for decoy missions where simulation of actual fighter aircraft is required and the ground control stations provides simultaneous multiple-vehicle flight capability with a range in excess of 200 km.

 

[WAQAS119]

I heard China and India are too Into such things....

which platform they are using to convert it into drones??

 

[kashith]

cant pak ask for them??instead of target they will be useful in WOT

 

[Frankenstein]

cant pak ask for them??instead of target they will be useful in WOT

lol, how?? we have enough piliots on the other hand we dont use f16 for dog fights in WOT only for strikes, so wats the point??