F-16

<p>The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon universally known as the Viper is one of the most important combat aircraft in aviation history. Conceived in the 1970s as part of a radical lightweight fighter experiment the F-16 was designed to be agile affordable and simple at a time when military aviation was dominated by large heavy and costly aircraft. Against all odds it not only proved itself in combat but went on to become the backbone of U.S. and allied air forces worldwide.</p><p></p><p>This definitive history traces the F-16's journey from its first prototype flights to its current role as a global multirole fighter flown by more than two dozen nations. Drawing on a comprehensive record of development combat operations and international adoption it chronicles how the Viper reshaped air combat doctrine inspired generations of pilots and cemented its place as one of the most widely produced and battle-tested fighters ever built.</p><p></p><p>Covering everything from the visionary Fighter Mafia who pushed the program forward to legendary missions like Israel's 1981 Osirak strike and the Gulf War campaigns to today's advanced Block 70/72 Vipers this book offers the complete story of how a lightweight experiment became a heavyweight of global airpower.</p>