its parachute dear for stop them early blocks have no parachutes thats why they are small .
Sure – but I always thought all F-16 used to have break parachutes. Unless like Israel Air Force F-16 C which did not have break parachute.
I went though some details - Cheil Ha'avir Israel Defense Force/Air Force - IDF/AF
Externally, the Israeli F-16C differs from other F-16C's by having an extension to the base of its vertical stabilizer, similar to the Norwegian F-16s parachute brake compartment; however, no parachutes are used on IAF F-16s
Also on Israeli F-16 D 50/52, The back seat is reserved for the F-16s Weapon System Operator. Externally this fighter differs from other F-16D's by having a boxlike extension from the cockpit to the vertical stabilizer, referred to as a dorsal spine. Think it is not just a support beam as some of the Block 50/52 F-16s we (PAF) received did not have that Dorsal Spine.
The dorsal fairing was designed, mocked up, fabricated and installed during regular routine assembly while these aircraft were on the production line in Fort Worth. The dorsal spine is believed to accommodate Wild Weasel equipment (amongst others Elisra's SPS-3000 self-protection jammer) for Israeli F-16s, which detects emissions from enemy radar sites and pinpoints their locations, and specialized weapon delivery systems, such as 'smart bombs' guided using the back seat's side stick for control. Israeli Air force only confirms that it has various electronic systems (think they did not confirm Wild Weasel equipment).
Thus the following got me curious as to the reason behind some of the Block 50/52s having extended Vertical stabilizer base and some not.
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article9.html
The Block 50/52 Plus is a version which has special provisions for the adverse weather delivery of the Boeing JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition). The update includes an
add-on tail unit containing a synthetic aperture radar, providing guidance to 1,000lbs Mk.83, 2,000lbs Mk.84 and the 2,000lbs BLU-109 warhead.
There are tons of F-16 block 50/52 pictures on this thread and all over the forum where some block 50/52s have this feature and some do not like Some F-16 Ds have a dorsal Spine and some do not.
Hence the questions
Is this specific to Block 50/52 Plus?
Do the tail sensors and highlighted unit in the pictures, could or they do contain the add-ons to SAR?
P.S. intrestingly while the F-16B is a two seat version of the F-16A used for pilot conversion, the Israeli F-16D is completely different from the F-16C where the back seat is reserved for the F-16s Weapon System Operator(WSO) - this is specially true for Israeli F-16 Ds with Dorsal spine.
Do PAF F-16 Ds (one with dorsal Spine) have the rear seat reserved for WSO too?