F-16C-50 reaches 10,000 hrs.

Not bad considering the original A models I did some of the engineering on 40+ years ago were only intended to last 6000 flight hours. Design modifications incorporated to address cracking issues doubled the Cs’ lifespan.

You’ve inadvertently revealed your age Djcross. 🙂

but yes impressive to see any fighter get to 10k flight hours. Can all F-16 C fighters be upgraded to get to that max service life?

Note it says first Block 50. Block 40 jets reached 10k hours before that, don’t know if this was the first, but at Aviano in 2018 f.e.: Facebook link

And there’s the F-15E of course. The first to clock 10k hours did so in 2012: https://theaviationist.com/2012/02/10/f-15e-10000/
At an estimated aircraft age of 22 years…
In 2018, the 4th FW already had 10 jets over 10k hours. https://www.blogbeforeflight.net/201…ing-hours.html

Not to forget though, we’re talking USAF flying hours here. That means endless patrols over Deserts, i.e. flying straight, and when at home, long transit times to training areas.

That with a considerable increase in war like training time and the constant burden of real war operations…

Just goes to show that with modern fighters such as the F-16 10,000 flight hours is now possible. Well done.

Not bad considering the original A models I did some of the engineering on 40+ years ago were only intended to last 6000 flight hours. Design modifications incorporated to address cracking issues doubled the Cs’ lifespan.