This Is The US Air Force's Most Widely Used Fighter Jet (It's Not The F-35 Or F-22)

The United States Air Force is the world's leader in flying highly advanced fighter jets, having pioneered much of today's technology. While there are literally thousands of jets in the Air Force's inventory, the one that is operated the most isn't the F-35 Lightning II or the comparably advanced F-22 Raptor; it's the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The F-16 is a multi-role fighter that's impressive in a number of ways, and according to pilots, it's the most fun fighter jet to fly.

Of course, that's not what makes the F-16 the Air Force's go-to fighter for a variety of operations, and it's not why it outnumbers every other fighter in the inventory. The F-16's performance has made it one of the most successful combat aircraft ever fielded. Since it first went into service in 1979, F-16s of various types have achieved a kill ratio of 76:1, having successfully shot down 76 airborne threats while losing only one aircraft. That's a statistic that makes it hard to retire the 4th-generation fighter.

F-16s are produced by Lockheed Martin out of Greenville, South Carolina, and the company touts it as the most advanced 4th-generation fighter in the world. That's not a hyperbolic claim either, as the F-16 has been upgraded and modified numerous times throughout its service life. As a result, it remains an agile killer, capable of taking the fight to the enemy anywhere in the world, and that's also why it's the most widely used fighter jet in the Air Force.

As of this writing, the U.S. Air Force maintains a force of around 840 F-16s of various models. That's more aircraft than most countries have in their entire air force, but for the United States, it's merely the most numerous fighter in the inventory. Since the aircraft entered production in the 1970s, over 4,550 F-16s have been built and operated by the United States and its allies, amounting to 28 total countries. Several nations have licenses to produce their own, so production isn't limited to South Carolina.

The reason the F-16 has such a broad appeal is that it's reliable, capable of numerous roles, and adaptable to a variety of flight conditions. The current model, the F-16V Block 70/72, is the most advanced version ever produced. It features Northrop Grumman's advanced APG-83 AESA radar, providing situational awareness throughout the battlespace. It's also outfitted with a single Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 or General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan engine.

These enable the aircraft to reach Mach 2 (1,535 mph) and a range of 2,002 miles. In terms of armament, an F-16 can carry a large variety of rockets, missiles, and bombs alongside its 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon from previous models. These include various ranges of air-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, laser-guided bombs, and more. All of these specifications and capabilities ensure the F-16 will continue operating for a long time, as it's easily one of the best fighters in the inventory.