First QF-16 target drone arrives at Tyndall AFB for testing and evaluation

The first of 126 Boeing QF-16 drones has been delivered to the US Air Force (USAF) for development testing at Tyndall Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida, the 325th Fighter Wing announced on 20 November.

The converted Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole aircraft was handed over to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group (WEG) at Tyndall AFB on 19 November where it will be evaluated and trialled before the type replaces the 1960s-era QF-4 Phantom II as the USAF's optionally-manned aerial target.

With stocks of suitable McDonnell-Douglas F-4s running low, and with BAE Systems' contract to deliver 300 QF-4s to the USAF nearing its conclusion, the service decided in 2010 to launch the QF-16 programme. This will not only open up a whole new source of surplus airframes for conversion, but the early-model Block 15, 25 and 30 F-16s being converted will more realistically represent the kind of threat that modern pilots are likely to go up against.

Boeing is undertaking the QF-16 conversion work at its Cecil Field facility in Florida, and the maiden (manned) flight of the first QF-16 (QF001) took place out of that facility on 4 May.