*** Posted by sdfgh ***
Is the F16 the fastest Air Force warplane?

*** Posted by run ***
[Is the F16 the fastest Air Force warplane?
]
No

*** Posted by john ***
[Is the F16 the fastest Air Force warplane?

The F-16 top speed is Mach 1.6
Compared with the F-15 Mach 2.5 and the F-14 top speed is Mach 1.88. He is the slow


PS: I speak not wery well English, because I'm French.

*** Posted by run ***
[The F-16 top speed is Mach 1.6
]

Not true. It is 2.05´

Run

*** Posted by SKY ***
1,319 mph (2,123km/h)

[The F-16 top speed is Mach 1.6


Not true. It is 2.05´

Run]

*** Posted by run ***
[1,319 mph (2,123km/h) ]

How did you come up with that number ?

Everything is relative. There are a lot of numbers floating around and there is a good reason for that. The speed of sound greatly depends on the atmospheric conditions when you measure it. Temperature being the most important:

Vsound in air = 331.4 + 0.6 Tc m/s

So at 20 degree Celsius you would get 343.6 m/s = 769.7 mph
So when the F16 is capable of Mach 2.05 that would be 1578 mph. This number is not really correct either because the F16 is not capable of flying Mach 2.05 at sealevel (It wouldn't stay in one piece <G>). So if we take a more realistic altitude of 36.000 feet (When you hit the Tropopause) the temperature is -56.5C and pretty much stays there until 60-70.000 feet:

-56.5C = 296.9 m/s = 665 mph
Speed of F16 = 2.05 x 665 mph = 1363 mph = 2194 km/h

The US Airforce is claiming 1500 mph, so they must have used a temperature of -7.94, which equals 11580 feet in a standard atmosphere.

All these numbers are of course max speeds - not sustained speeds.

Regards Run

*** Posted by Anonymous*** [Is the F16 the fastest Air Force warplane? ] No, only the last answer is correct, the f-16s top speed depends on the air temperature and on the aircrafts altitude. (When the temperature varies, so does the speed of sound) According to the F-16 A/Bs manufacturer ,General Dynamics, he can go up to 2173 km/h --> Mach 2.05. The heavier F-16 C/D however, can 'only' go up to 2020 km/h --> Mach 1.91 according to 'his' manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, because of the increase of electronics and the heavier engine.

*** Posted by tiger ***
[1,319 mph (2,123km/h)

How did you come up with that number ?

Everything is relative. There are a lot of numbers floating around and there is a good reason for that. The speed of sound greatly depends on the atmospheric conditions when you measure it. Temperature being the most important:

Vsound in air = 331.4 + 0.6 Tc m/s

So at 20 degree Celsius you would get 343.6 m/s = 769.7 mph
So when the F16 is capable of Mach 2.05 that would be 1578 mph. This number is not really correct either because the F16 is not capable of flying Mach 2.05 at sealevel (It wouldn't stay in one piece <G>). So if we take a more realistic altitude of 36.000 feet (When you hit the Tropopause) the temperature is -56.5C and pretty much stays there until 60-70.000 feet:

-56.5C = 296.9 m/s = 665 mph
Speed of F16 = 2.05 x 665 mph = 1363 mph = 2194 km/h

The US Airforce is claiming 1500 mph, so they must have used a temperature of -7.94, which equals 11580 feet in a standard atmosphere.

All these numbers are of course max speeds - not sustained speeds.

Regards Run


]who are you?

*** Posted by run ***
[ who are you?]

I am Run

Why ?

*** Posted by tiger ***
[ who are you?

I am Run

Why ?]

i know but what are you?, a student, etc.

*** Posted by run ***
[ who are you?

I am Run

Why ?

i know but what are you?, a student, etc.]

I am a pilot in the Royal Danish Airforce. I used to fly F-16s, but currently I am stationed in the US as an IP on AT-38s. I am returning to the Viper next year.

*** Posted by J ***
[Is the F16 the fastest Air Force warplane?
]
http://www.wvi.com/~lelandh/srrcd~1.htm

Your numbers are pretty much correct. When I flew F16s the top end was about mach2. It depends: if you are going uphill or downhill.

http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley/5913/english_index.html

Run is correct. "Top" speed is a realitive variable. It's like my nephew asking me; "which airplane is the "best"?". I wouldn't desire an A-10 if I expected to encounter a flock of SU-27's an I wouldn't care for an F-15C to facilitate ground troops. Bear in mind that the F-16 was the most widely used aircraft in the '91 "Gulf war", and it was the least effective. Not to sound like I'm bashing my chosen mount for combat, but the F-16 is a "good" VFR fighter and mud pounder. The fixed intake is optimized for subsonic regions of flight. "Top" speed will also be dictated by ordinance, humidity, how well the intake is waxed, etc. fastest I've ever beaten the air into submission is M1.9. And yes, dua, it will speed up a bunch in a dive.