USAF F-16CM Block 50 Fighting-Falcon Single-Seat

Plastic model kit of a General Dynamics F-16CM Block 50 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighter aircraft

• 1:48 scale
• Clear parts and photo-etched parts included
• Painting masks included
• 4 marking options
• Unassembled, unpainted
• Paint and glue not included

The General Dynamics F-16CM Block 50 Fighting Falcon is a modernized version of the F-16C Block 50 and ranks among the US Air Force's most capable multi-role fighter aircraft. The suffix "M" designates aircraft that have been upgraded to a standardized avionics and operational configuration under the Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP). The Block 50 was originally developed specifically to counter hostile air defense systems, assuming the "Wild Weasel" role of detecting and destroying enemy radar installations. Equipped with the AN/ASQ-213 HARM Targeting System (HTS) and the AGM-88 HARM missile, the F-16CM can acquire and engage enemy air defense radars while remaining a versatile fighter capable of air superiority, precision strikes, close air support, and reconnaissance missions.

The F-16CM Block 50 is powered by a General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan engine, which delivers approximately 131 kN of thrust with afterburner and enables speeds of up to Mach 2. Eleven external hardpoints allow for the carriage of up to 7,700 kilograms of weapons, sensors, and auxiliary fuel tanks. Its standard armament includes a 20mm M61A1 Vulcan Gatling gun, complemented by a wide range of modern air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM, JDAM and Paveway precision-guided bombs, as well as cruise missiles and targeting pods.

As part of its modernization, the F-16CM received significantly improved avionics, including powerful mission computers, color multifunction displays, Link 16, GPS-aided navigation, digital maps, and modern self-protection systems. Many aircraft were equipped with the AN/APG-68(V)9 radar, while a portion of the fleet has since been fitted with the modern AN/APG-83 AESA radar, which offers significantly improved range, target acquisition, and resistance to electronic countermeasures.

Since its introduction in the 1990s, the F-16CM Block 50 has proven its worth in numerous operations, including those in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Despite the gradual introduction of the F-35A, it remains one of the most important multi-role fighter aircraft for the US Air Force and many allied air forces, thanks to its high reliability, comparatively low operating costs, and exceptional versatility. Particularly in the role of Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), the F-16CM Block 50 is still considered one of the most effective fighter aircraft in its class.