Mighty_Zuk Posted January 27 Posted January 27 Giving them a new lease on life, Israel's F-16 fleet, which is largely consolidated around the F-16I variant and F-16D upgraded to F-16I standard, will get new self protection capabilities including EW, missile warning system, and new chaff and flares. It says the missile warning system includes airborne and ground threats. This means it's probably supposed to detect SAM launches. I wonder how far out. But most curious is whether this is supposed to also create a capability to detect ballistic missile launches, which is an important capability vs Iran. Israel already operates F-35s with that capability, and long range observation pods also exist to equip F-16s and F-15s with that capability, but if it can be consolidated as multiple pods into one, or just a smaller one, then that could allow Israel to expand this capability farther out. Every extra pod is a major burden for the long flights out to Iran. In straight line flight missions over uncontested airspace from Israel to Yemen, aircraft are often seen with maxed out drop tanks and just a couple of munitions and a pair of AAMs. This is practically a minimal armament configuration.
Mighty_Zuk Posted January 27 Author Posted January 27 2 hours ago, Dawes said: Any structural upgrades/improvements? Your guess is as good as mine. All I have is this piece of text posted above.
Yama Posted January 28 Posted January 28 19 hours ago, Dawes said: Any structural upgrades/improvements? Likely not, this seems fairly modest upgrade, not sure how many airframes exactly it covers, but less than $1 million per plane. I thought F-16I already had a MAWS system? But if it didn't, it will probably be a fairly simple system consisting of UV censors placed on pylons: https://www.defensemirror.com/uploads//news/big/2a_1722845851.jpg
Mighty_Zuk Posted January 28 Author Posted January 28 (edited) 1 hour ago, Yama said: Likely not, this seems fairly modest upgrade, not sure how many airframes exactly it covers, but less than $1 million per plane. I thought F-16I already had a MAWS system? But if it didn't, it will probably be a fairly simple system consisting of UV censors placed on pylons: https://www.defensemirror.com/uploads//news/big/2a_1722845851.jpg The F-16I also already had EW pods and chaffs/flares. It's possible all of these are upgrades. Also it's local production of systems, so it's going to be much cheaper than some FMS deal. Edited January 28 by Mighty_Zuk
DB Posted January 29 Posted January 29 Does seem to me the cost is very low, which suggests integration of sensors that may already be in use elsewhere. What does Israel use for EO early warning for existing surface launched threats? I think they have surveillance aerostats, but maybe they have other assets in the large business jet class, or even down to the sneaky-beaky elint KingAirs used by others.
Yama Posted January 29 Posted January 29 On 1/28/2025 at 3:40 PM, Mighty_Zuk said: The F-16I also already had EW pods and chaffs/flares. It's possible all of these are upgrades. Maybe it includes Britecloud upgrade for chaff dispensers, did IAF have it previously?
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