With structural mods the F-16 will fly until 2048
By Lara Seligman
April 12, 2017
The U.S. Air Force has authorized extending the service life of Lockheed Martin’s single-engine F-16 from 8,000 t0 12,000 hr., raising questions about whether this is the first step toward retiring and replacing the long-serving F-15C/D Eagle. The planned structural modifications would keep up to 300 F-16 C/C Block 40-52 aircraft flying safely through 2048 and beyond, Lockheed said in an April 12 press release.