Problem of "Old" 24 F16 Jetfighter

Problem of "Old" 24 F16 Jetfighter

by David Raja Marpaung

A total of 8 of 24 F-16 C (single seater) block grant U.S. 25 will arrive in Indonesia in 2014. Aircraft is being upgraded at the depot aircraft maintenance Air Force, 309th Maintenance Wing at Hill Airforce Base, Utah . The government chose 24 F-16 former Air National Guard instead of buying 6 new aircraft, with an excuse to cover a minimum number of aircraft required. 16 aircraft that would fill a squadron (16 aircraft) F-16 in Pekanbaru and 8 in Madiun with the rest of the F-16 A / B block 15 OCU Air Force.

Former aircraft-life can be extended through an upgrade program (capacity building). Program upgrades include enhanced capabilities including avionics, engines, airframes, and weaponry. So sophisticated combat aircraft could follow the latest technological developments. It's cheap for the quality of fighter that minimally or former fighter with the technology fee that is expired, can be tricked with a lot of quantity. The problem is that a lot quantity is not a guarantee of victory in battle

There are several Problem with Procurement of 24 Old F16 Jet Fighter

1. Structure Problem

F-16 is one of the advanced aircraft makes pilots easy to make mistakes. Some form of error resulted in reduced aircraft age. F-16 is planned to operate for 30 years, to 8000 flight hours, with an average of 250 flight hours per year.

In fact a lot of F-16 shows the structure of the problems began 3500 flight hours. For the U.S. did upgrade program structure to ensure that the F-16 can operate according to plan, that is 8000 hours. These programs include Falcon Star, which began in 2004 until 2014, fixing more than 2,000 F-16, including the 1200 F-16 and USAF OUTDATED

2. Lifetime

With an average of 250 aircraft operations OUTDATED hours per year, it is estimated that the aircraft had been in operation for 6750 hours. The rest of the operational lifetime of 1250 hours, equivalent to a 5-year alias, meaning 2017 should already be in the parking aircraft, or as custom Air Force, the pilots, the best sons of the nation, forced risking lives with aircraft that are not worth taking.

The U.S. has a program to improve the life of the F-16. There is no indication on the purchase list above that the F-16 will be in ikutsertakan OUTDATED at age extension program.

3.  Typical of Upgrade Program

There are 3 programsof  upgraded F-16s :

     MLU (RTAF done as an upgrade to the F-16 Block 15 OCU)

     SCU (System Capabilities Upgrade)

     CUPID (Combat Upgrade Plan Integration Details)

MLU upgrade program is much more comprehensive, and more expensive. It seems that the above-mentioned configuration is far from MLU. For example, MLU definitely use integrated modular computer system: Modular Mission Computer, with EUPDG, HSD and HUD display color width. With option called EEFCC or CFCC, do not mean MLU upgrade program. SCU program is too simple, just add some combat systems.   Its is become a very big problem to Indonesian Pilot, if USAF just made SCU Program to 24 F16 Fighter.