The first of two F-16XL's to be modified, A-5 (5th Full-Scale Development F-16A) had a single seat and was powered by an F100-PW-200 turbofan. It flew for the first time on July 3rd, 1982, with James McKinney at the controls. The second F-16XL , was originally powered by a 29,000 lb.s.t. General Electric F110-GE-100 turbofan. It was converted ...

F-16XL carrying a full complement: 2 wingtip AIM-9 Sidewinders, two underwing 370 gal tanks, 10 Mk.82 (500 lbs) on underwing stations, 2 on the centerline, and 4 semi-recessed Amraams [Photo by Erwin Boone]

Modified as F-16XL/A with cranked-arrow wing and flew for the first time as F-16XL-1 on July 15, 1982. Flew 437 flights as the XL with the USAF.

The F-16XL design's ailerons were modified by extending the tips 1-2 ft., and adding an outboard area forward of the hingeline. Since LMTAS has been awarded the contract to develop the F-35 as the next multirole fighter of the USAF and a lot of it's allies, futher development of this version isn't expected anymore.

USAF F-16XL #75-0749 carrying AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles in flight. The aircraft features a 'cranked arrow' wing for improved subsonic and supersonic flight, semi-conformal weapons carriage for reduced weight and drag, and fly-by-wire complete electronic flight control system. Photographed here on July 3rd, 1982. [GD photo]

An air-to-air top front view of F-16XL #75-0749 prototype aircraft armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. The aircraft is on a demonstration flight during the Farnborough Air Show on September 12th, 1982.

For nearly 45 years, Luke Air Force Base has been synonymous with the F-16 Fighting Falcon, training thousands of pilots and maintaining a crucial role in the aircraft’s legacy. However, with the U.S. Air Force shifting its focus to fifth-generation platforms like the F-35 Lightning II, the base has now bid farewell to its last operational F-16.

It was to use the basic F-16XL design, along with one of the proposed ATF engines. However, it was to use a trapezoidal delta wing rather than the F-16XL's cranked-arrow wing. CK-1 test bed fighter. The CK-1 is an F-16D "Block 40" test bed fighter, built by Lockheed according to MANAT's specifications. (MANAT is the IAF Flight Test Center).

The pilot survived unharmed but very shaken. It was shipped to General Dynamics Fort Worth in a C-5 and rebuilt into the first cranked-arrow F-16XL, flying back to Edwards one year later on December 2nd, 1981. It was later converted into a dual-seat F-16XL/B. First flight in its new configuration was on October 29th, 1982.

Both F-16XL aircraft were transferred to NASA in 1989, after their operational test careers within the USAF ended. They were assigned a new NASA serial number: F-16XL/A received #849 and F-16XL/B received #848. Both F-16XL aircraft are currently stored in the NASA hangar at Edwards. For in-depth information on the F-16XL, please refer to F-16 ...