General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
Lockheed Martin · Fighter · In production — in service
The most widely exported fighter of the jet age, flown by more than 25 air forces.
Length15.06 m
Wingspan9.96 m
Range4,220 km
MTOW19 t
Built4,600+
First flight1974
Our numbers
Derived metrics
Computed by aircraft.fyi from the core specification — see how we calculate these.
Range per tonne#8 of 65
219.8 km/t maximum range ÷ MTOW in tonnes
Span-to-length ratio#59 of 68
0.66 wingspan ÷ fuselage length
Weight per metre#57 of 68
1.27 t/m MTOW ÷ fuselage length
Range in hours#52 of 65
2.0 h maximum range ÷ cruise speed
Sense of scale
How big is it, really?
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon's wingspan, against things you already know the size of.
Specification
The numbers
| Length | 15.06 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9.96 m |
| Height | 4.88 m |
| MTOW | 19,200 kg |
| Max speed | 2,120 km/h |
| Range | 4,220 km |
| Crew | 1 |
| First flight | 1974 |
| Built | 4,600 |
Compare it
Put the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon next to something
Last verified: 2026-07-20 · Spot an error? business@luck.fyi
The story
What makes it different
The first production fighter with a fly-by-wire system and a deliberately unstable airframe, which is what makes it so agile.
Against a 9.96 m wingspan the Falcon carries 19,200 kg at maximum takeoff weight and reaches 2,120 km/h. First flight was 1974, and 4,600 were built.
Common questions
General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon — the short answers
How fast is the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon?
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon cruises at about 2,120 km/h — roughly 1145 knots, or 1,318 mph.
How far can the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon fly?
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon has a maximum range of about 4,220 km (2,279 nautical miles, 2,623 miles). At its cruise speed that is roughly 2.0 hours in the air.
Is the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon still in production?
Status: In production — in service. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon first flew in 1974, and about 4,600 have been built.
How big is the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon?
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is 15.06 m long with a wingspan of 9.96 m and a height of 4.88 m. Its maximum takeoff weight is 19,200 kg.
Variants
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon line
Compare
Put it next to something
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon vs Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II →
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon vs Dassault Rafale →
Sources
Further reading