Dark Tech Official on MSN

New F-36 Kingsnake - Return of the monster F-16XL fighter

In 2021, the United States Air Force Chief of Staff announced the launch of a thorough study into the tactical aviation ...
The National Interest

The Little-Known F-16XL Fighter Was Stacked to the Brim with Weapons

Only two F-16XLs were ever made. They entered the Air Force’s Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition to select a replacement for the F-111 Aardvark. Aviation enthusiasts tend to recognize the F-16 ...
Hosted on MSN

The U.S. Air Force’s F-16XL Radical Fighter ‘Mistake’ Still Hurts to This Day

Key Points and Summary - Born from General Dynamics’ SCAMP effort, the F-16XL transformed the Falcon with a cranked-arrow delta wing, added fuel, and up to 27 weapon stations—aimed at deep-strike ...
The National Interest

The Air Force Once Super-Sized the F-16 Fighter—and It Was Great

The F-16XL was a superlative aircraft that, unfortunately, never got the shot it deserved. Did you know that two prototypes of a highly modified F-16 variant, known as the “F-16XL,” were developed and ...
The Asia Live

F-15 vs F-16: Why USAF Selected the Twin-Engine Strike Eagle Over Radical F-16XL To Replace F-111 Warplane

F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Both aircraft emerged from different design philosophies during the Cold War, yet ...
Aviation Week

From The Archives: F-16XL Laminar Testing

Aviation Week's October 23, 1995 cover showcased the General Dynamics F-16XL during its historic first flight on October 13. The aircraft featured a specialized large suction panel mounted on its left ...