The F-16C Fighting Falcon is a fighter aircraft featured in many Ace Combat games as one of the earliest available aircraft. Designed first and foremost as a lightweight close-range dogfighter, the F-16 has evolved to become equally lethal in both air combat and attack missions. In most of its appearances, the F-16C carries a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, and features higher maneuverability than most comparable aircraft, making it a highly versatile option for players early in a game's campaign.
History
Strangereal
The F-16C was in use by a variety of nations as early as 1995. During the Belkan War, it was used by both the Allied Forces and the Belkan Air Force. Notable units that used the aircraft were the mercenary air squadron Crow Team and Belka's elite Silber Team.[1]
The plane was also popular in Usea, seeing use during the Skully Islands insurrection,[2] Usean coup d'état,[3] Continental War,[4] and the Lighthouse War.[5]
During the Circum-Pacific War, both Osea and Yuktobania used the aircraft.[6]
In 2015, F-16Cs were fielded in the Emmeria-Estovakia War by both the Republic of Emmeria Air Force and Estovakian Air Force. Estovakian F-16C ace Mihajlo Mesic, callsign "Edinorog", was shot down by Talisman while escorting bombers which were attacking Vitoze.[7] Emmeria's Windhover Squadron also utilized the aircraft throughout the war, sporting a special livery.[8]
During the Lighthouse War, the IUN, Osean Air Defense Force, and Erusean Air Force, made use of the F-16C. The Mage, Drake and Skeleton squadrons flew the aircraft at some point during the war. Erusean F-16C ace Rosie Lucas, callsign "Bayonet", was shot down by Trigger over the Chopinburg Rainforest while trying to defend the airspace.[9] Spare Squadron member High Roller also flew an F-16C but was shot down over Roca Roja during Operation One Pair.[10]
In 2020, both the Aurelian Air Force and Leasath Air Force made use of the F-16C during the Aurelian War. A Leasath ace, callsign "Ice", was known to have flown the aircraft during the war.[11]
Assault Horizon universe
F-16C Fighting Falcons were used by Warwolf Squadron as one of their primary aircraft during the conflict in Africa. They used this aircraft in the level Inferno, where they engaged SRN MiG-21bis Fishbed aircraft over Hamada and an oil facility nearby. However, Warwolf Squadron would eventually leave Africa after the destruction of Carruth and used different aircraft on later missions.
F-16C fighters of the 482nd fighter wing were later deployed to Miami to assist Warwolf Squadron against remnants of the New Russian Federation led by Andrei Markov. Viper Squadron also used F-16C fighters during the attack on Washington, D.C., engaging Su-35 fighters in the midst of chaos. Despite their best efforts, most of them suffered heavy casualties, with one of their pilots being killed in a kamikaze attack by one of the fighters. A few F-16 fighters were even no match for Markov's PAK FA when he destroyed them one by one while engaging Bishop over D.C. Despite this, several F-16 fighters still patrolled the area.
Infinity universe
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expanding it.
The aircraft was used by Reaper during Operation Bird Hunt.[12]
Game Analysis
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
- "A low-weight fighter developed to, among other things, support large lead air superiority planes. A combination of the high-cost, hardly-seen F-15 and the low-cost, widely-used F-16, the F-16C was designed to be a compromise between the two, incorporating the latest technology of the time such as fly-by-wire, making it both stable and agile. Those who attested to the effectiveness of low-weight fighters had high hopes for the F-16C. Its vast improvements gave it increased mobility and greater effectiveness in air-to-surface combat, making it an effective attack—and thus multirole—plane. Its nickname is "Fighting Falcon.""
- ― Data Viewer
How to Unlock
- The F-16C is the player's starting aircraft at the beginning of the game.
Statistics
Weapons
Part Slots
- BODY: 40
- ARMS: 40
- MISC: 40
Named Pilots
Skins
- Osea: Two-tone 'Hill Grey' camouflage
- Erusea: Green/brown/tan Aggressor camouflage (Unlocked by earning the "Silver Wings" medal: Sortie in multiplayer mode 50 times.)
- Special: Red/white/blue YF-16 CCV livery (Unlock: Shoot down BAYONET)
- Mage: Osea scheme with Mage Squadron markings.
- Spare: Osea scheme with Spare Squadron markings.
- Strider: Osea scheme with Strider Squadron markings.
- Clown: Mage scheme with Clown's markings.
- Patriot: Red and white stripes with a dark blue front, loosely based on the flag of the United States.
- Silber: Silber Team livery.
- Crow: Crow Team livery
- Windhover: Windhover Squadron livery (acquire the "Cutting-edge Aircraft Series Set" DLC)
- General Resource: F-16XF Gyrfalcon livery (acquire the "Cutting-edge Aircraft Series Set" DLC)
Gallery
Two F-16Cs readying for take-off (Trigger's F-16C is at the front)
Two F-16Cs readying for take-off
Ace Combat Infinity
- "A tractable, lightweight fighter with well-balanced maneuverability and stability. It has an exceptionally light weight and aerodynamic blended wing body, and though a single-engine plane, it is equipped with a powerful engine. Called the "Fighting Falcon", its relatively low cost and high power are the reason it has been adapted by air forces all over the world. To date, more than 4,000 of this best-selling model have been manufactured."
- ― Hangar
| Lv.
|
Cst
|
Price
|
GUN
|
MSL
|
4AAM
|
HCAA
|
QAAM
|
SP
|
MO
|
ST
|
AA
|
AG
|
DF
|
| 1 |
375 |
9,000 |
365 |
78 |
8 |
– |
– |
F+ |
E |
F+ |
F+ |
F |
F
|
| 2 |
408 |
1,800 |
401 |
82 |
12 |
– |
– |
E |
E |
F+ |
E |
F |
F+
|
| 3 |
441 |
3,750 |
438 |
86 |
16 |
– |
– |
E+ |
E+ |
E |
E |
F+ |
E
|
| 4 |
474 |
6,900 |
474 |
92 |
18 |
18 |
– |
D |
E+ |
E |
E+ |
F+ |
E
|
| 5 |
507 |
12,750 |
511 |
98 |
20 |
20 |
– |
D+ |
D |
E+ |
E+ |
F+ |
E+
|
| 6 |
540 |
72,000[a] |
547 |
104 |
24 |
24 |
– |
D+ |
D+ |
E+ |
D |
F+ |
D
|
| 7 |
573 |
37,800 |
584 |
110 |
26 |
26 |
13 |
D+ |
D+ |
E+ |
D+ |
F+ |
D+
|
| 8 |
606 |
87,000 |
620 |
116 |
28 |
28 |
14 |
C |
C |
E+ |
D+ |
E |
C
|
| 9 |
639 |
292,500 |
657 |
122 |
30 |
30 |
15 |
C |
C |
D |
D+ |
E |
C
|
| 10 |
672 |
528,000 |
694 |
128 |
32 |
32 |
16 |
C+ |
C+ |
D |
D+ |
E |
C+
|
| 11 |
719 |
783,360 |
730 |
132 |
34 |
34 |
17 |
B |
B |
D |
C |
E |
B
|
| 12 |
766 |
963,900 |
767 |
136 |
36 |
36 |
18 |
B |
B+ |
D+ |
C+ |
E+ |
B+
|
| 13 |
813 |
1,356,600 |
803 |
140 |
38 |
38 |
19 |
B+ |
A |
D+ |
B |
E+ |
A
|
| 14 |
860 |
2,030,400 |
840 |
144 |
40 |
40 |
20 |
B+ |
A+ |
C |
B+ |
D |
A
|
| 15 |
907 |
2,688,000 |
877 |
148 |
44 |
44 |
22 |
A |
S |
C+ |
A |
D |
A+
|
| 16 |
966 |
3,990,600 |
911 |
150 |
46 |
46 |
23 |
A+ |
S |
C+ |
A |
D |
S
|
| 17 |
1025 |
5,070,000 |
945 |
152 |
48 |
48 |
24 |
S |
S+ |
B |
A+ |
D+ |
S+
|
| 18 |
1084 |
5,700,000 |
979 |
154 |
50 |
50 |
25 |
S+ |
S+ |
B |
S |
D+ |
S+
|
| 19 |
1143 |
7,284,000 |
1013 |
156 |
52 |
52 |
26 |
S+ |
S+ |
B+ |
S+ |
D+ |
S+
|
| 20 |
1202 |
9,186,000 |
1048 |
158 |
56 |
56 |
28 |
S+ |
S+ |
B+ |
S+ |
C |
S+
|
- Part Slots
- At Lv.1, this aircraft carried 10 BODY, 10 ARMS, and 10 MISC part slots. See Tuning § Slot Expansion for further information.
- Nicknames
- Upgrading this aircraft to these levels unlocked the respective nicknames for use at any time.
- Lv.3: Falcon
- Lv.10: Swing Fighter
- Lv.15: Aircraft Mafia
- Lv.20: Millennium
Skin Galleries
Description
- Standard low visibility grey
Gallery
Description
- White, red, and purple livery from Air Combat
Availability
Gallery
Description
- Black, blue, and purple variation of "AC" Skin #01
Availability
Gallery
Description
- Silber Team livery
Availability
Gallery
Description
- Dark/light brown and dark green desert camouflage; based on the F-16C block 25/32 of the 64th Aggressor Squadron
Availability
- Special Challenges (December 16, 2015–January 19, 2016)
- Purchase from the Special Supply catalogue for
100 (April 15, 2016–permanent)
Gallery
Banner advertising Event Skin #01 and the
T-50 Event Skin #03
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy
- "Small and lightweight, this aircraft is a well-balanced fighting machine for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Available at the start of the game.
Statistics
Weapons
Colors
- Color 1: Light grey body
- Color 2: 2-tone desert camouflage with green
- Color 3: Thick black strokes, similar to Silber Team's F-16C
- Color 4: Color 2 with darker brown spots
- Color 5: Orange camouflage with dark red stripes.
- Color 6: Color 2 with blue spots
Named Pilots
Gallery
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
- "A tractable, lightweight fighter with well-balanced maneuverability and stability. It has an exceptionally light weight and aerodynamic blended wing body, and though a single-engine plane, it is equipped with a powerful engine. Called the "Fighting Falcon", its relatively low cost and high power are the reason it has been adopted by air forces all over the world. To date, more than 4,000 of this best-selling model have been manufactured."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Available from the start of mission 2: Inferno.
Statistics
- Speed: Medium
- Mobility: Medium
- Stability: Medium
- Fire Power: Above Average
- Defense: Low
Weapons
Colors
- Color 1: Air superiority gray
- Color 2: 3-tone desert camouflage
- Color 3: Gold body with black nose
Named Pilots
Gallery
F-16 chasing a Su-25 over an oilfield
Two F-16C near Oil Fields
Ace Combat: Joint Assault
- "Small and lightweight, this aircraft is a well-balanced fighting machine for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Complete mission 5A: Capital Defense. Costs $16,200.
Statistics
Weapons
Colors
- Color 1: Air superiority gray
- Color 2: Desert brown camouflage with green patches
- Color 3: Ocean blue camouflage
- Color 4: Thick black strokes. Very similar to Silber Team's F-16C
- Color 5: Tri-color scheme loosely based on the YF-16 livery
- Color 6: Windhover Squadron livery. Gray body with red wing tips
Named Pilots
- Osaka - Found in Red and Black - Alpha. Spawns to the northeast during the 2nd phase of the mission. If the ace is shot down by an friendly NPC, the kill will not count.
Gallery
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
- "The F-16C has a powerful single engine and a blended wing body. Its high cost-performance makes it a standard for lightweight fighters. The smaller size of this aircraft makes it highly maneuverable, which roll and banking capabilities that are slightly superior to other aircraft. Although basic, its armaments are easy to use and adaptable to both air-to-air and air-to-ground tasks. The F-16 is a highly capable aircraft in almost any pilot’s hands."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Available at the start of the game.
Statistics
Weapons
Colors
Named Pilots
Gallery
Emmerian F-16 flying through a tunnel.
An F-16C engaging a
Strigon aircraft
The F-16C of Mihajlo Mesic (Edinorog)
Skin 3 - Estovakia SP (Edinorog)
Skin 4 - Scarface Emblem <Pack 01>
Skin 5 - PJ Emblem <Pack 07>
Skin 6 - TYPE ACE2 <Pack 01>
Skin 7 - Razgriz <Pack 05>
Skin 8 - Historic Windhover <Pack 02>
Skin 9 - The Idolmaster Mami <Pack 08>
Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception
- "Small and lightweight, this aircraft is a well-balanced fighting machine for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Complete mission 4A: Last Line of Defense. Costs 12,800 credits.
Statistics
Weapons
Colors
- Aurelia: Air superiority gray
- Leasath: Venezuelan F-16A camouflage
- Special 1: Chilean 3 Grupo F-16 dark Air Superiority Gray livery
- Special 2: Thick black strokes. Very similar to Silber Team's F-16C
Named Pilots
Gallery
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War
- "Also known as the "Fighting Falcon." Small and lightweight, this aircraft is a well-balanced fighting machine for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Complete campaign mission 4C: Operation Costner. Costs 31,500 credits.
Statistics
- Speed: 73
- Mobility: 44
- Stability: 46
- Defense: 46
- Air-to-Air: 30
- Air-to-Ground: 55
Weapons
Skins
- Standard: Hill Gray
- Mercenary: Venezuelan F-16A camouflage.
- Soldier: USAF 414th CTS blue aggressor camouflage scheme with antiglare strip, resembling the MiG-29.
- Knight: Resembles USAF 64th aggressor earthy camouflage.
- Special: Silber Team tiger stripes.
Named Pilots
Gallery
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
- "Also known as the "Fighting Falcon." Small and lightweight, this aircraft is a well-balanced fighting machine for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Complete campaign mission 6: White Bird (Part I). Costs 12,000 per plane.
Statistics
- Speed: 73
- Mobility: 44
- Stability: 46
- Defense: 46
- Air-to-Air: 30
- Air-to-Ground: 55
Weapons
Skins
- Osea: Hill Gray.
- Razgriz: Black recolor of Hill Gray.
- Special: Venezuelan F-16A camouflage.
Gallery
Razgriz color in the hangar
An F-16C in Yuktobanian colors
An F-16C along with its other variants.
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies
- "Small and lightweight, this aircraft is a well-balanced fighting machine for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat."
- ― Hangar
How to Unlock
- Complete campaign mission 3: The Northern Eye. Costs 97,000 credits.
Statistics
- Speed: B
- Air-to-Air: B
- Air-to-Ground: C
- Mobility: B
- Stability: D
- Defense: B
Weapons
Skins
- ISAF: F-16A style Hill Gray.
- Erusea: Venezuelan F-16A camouflage.
- Ace: Tempel's striped blue over white livery.
Named Units
Gallery
Erusean color scheme hangar
Ace Tempel color scheme hangar
F-16Cs over Krasinsky Crater
Ace Combat 2
How to Unlock
- Complete mission 3: City On Fire. Costs $90,000.
Statistics
- Power: 70
- Defense: 30
- Mobility: 40
- Stability: 60
- Climbing Ability: 50
- Air-to-Air: 60
- Air-to-Ground: 60
- Duration of flight: 18 minutes
- Absorbability: Normal
Weapons
Named Pilots
Gallery
F-16 paint schemes from AC2
Air Combat
The aircraft is displayed as F-16.
How to Unlock
- EASY
- Complete mission 5: Destroy Pipe-Lines
- Complete mission 6: Destroy Production Site
- NORMAL
- Complete mission 8: Destroy Enemy Staging Zone
- HARD
- Complete mission 9: Destroy Military Port Facilities
Price
- $2,500,000 - original price
- $2,250,000 - after first discount
- $2,000,000 - after second discount
- $1,500,000 - after third discount
Statistics
- Defense: 1
- Power: 5
- Mobility: 4
- Offense: 3
- Stability: 1
Named Pilots
Gallery
Trivia
- Color 1 for the F-16C in Assault Horizon uses the 23rd Fighter Squadron's emblem behind the canopy, due to being based on a 23FS aircraft.
- The F-16C in most Ace Combat games is the F-16C Block 50 or Block 30, distinguishable from their 'Big Mouth' intake and Wide-Angle Conventional HUD. In games with higher resolution (AC6, AC:AH, ACI, AC7) the F-16C can be positively identified as Block 50 via the presence of landing lights on the front landing gear door, and the lack of reinforcement plates on the dorsal fuselage.
- The F-16C used as reference for the Osean livery in AC7 is F-16C 90-0802, a Block 50 Fighting Falcon of the USAF that is currently in service as part of the 14th Fighter Squadron in Misawa, Japan.
- The two-tone green/brown camouflage (Color 2 in AC04, YK color in AC5, Mercenary color scheme in ACZ, Leasath color in ACX, Color 2 in ACJA, Color 2 in ACAHL, and Estovakian color in AC6) is based on the F-16A of the Venezuelan Air Force.
- The golden color scheme (Estovakian SP in AC6, Color 3 in ACAH) is based on F-16C Block 30 85-1565 from 185 Fighter Wing (185 FW) 174 Fighter Squadron (174 FS) "Bats" Iowa Air National Guard. In September 1996 aircraft has been painted in this color scheme to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the US Air Force. The plane got image of a bat on the tail fin and the inscription "The Bats 50th Anniversary" on left side and the "Pride of Siouxland" on right side.
- ↑ Players could use one Nonstandard Upgrade Request Form instead of credits for the Lv.6 upgrade.
References
Two F-16Cs readying for take-off (Trigger's F-16C is at the front)
Two F-16Cs readying for take-off
An F-16C taking off
PJ's F-16C flyby
PJ's F-16C flyby
PJ's F-16C flyby
PJ's F-16C flyby
Windhover's F-16C flyby
Gun camera of an F-16C
Hangar view of Skin 01
Hangar view of Skin 02
Hangar view of Skin 03
Hangar view of Skin 04
Hangar view of Skin 05
Hangar view of Skin 06
Hangar view of Skin 07
Hangar view of Skin 08
Hangar view of Skin 09
Hangar view of Skin 10
Hangar view of Skin 11
Hangar view of Skin 12
Cockpit
Instruments
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