The F-16XL: The Super-Sized Fighter Jet That Never Made It

The F-16XL was an exceptional aircraft that, unfortunately, never got the chance it deserved. In the early 1980s, the U.S. Air Force developed two prototypes of this highly modified F-16 variant as part of the Enhanced Tactical Fighter (ETF) competition. Despite its impressive capabilities, the F-16XL lost to the F-15E Strike Eagle and never went into production. However, NASA saw its potential and used the jets for high-speed flight research and aerodynamics testing. The F-16XL boasted a cranked-arrow delta wing, providing 120% more wing area than the standard F-16. This allowed it to carry twice the ordinance payload, with up to 27 hard points, and improved low-speed handling. The XL variant also had a longer fuselage with more internal fuel, giving it roughly twice the range of the conventional F-16. Its Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-200 turbofan engine delivered 23,770 pounds of thrust without afterburners and 29,160 pounds with afterburners, making it significantly faster than the standard F-16. The F-16XL lost the ETF competition for several reasons. Its single-engine design made it less survivable for deep interdiction missions compared to the twin-engine F-15E. Additionally, the F-15E was already in production, making it more cost-effective. The F-16XL also lagged behind the F-15E in fuel capacity, ordnance flexibility, and mission duration. Furthermore, the F-15E was combat-proven, while the F-16XL remained untested in real-world scenarios. Despite its setbacks, the F-16XL remains a fascinating 'what if' in aviation history, showcasing remarkable aerodynamic improvements that could have revolutionized the F-16 lineage. Its story highlights the challenges of adopting new technologies in military aviation.