F-16XL Experimental Fighter
The F-16XL is a derivative of the F-16 with a cranked delta wing. The aircraft was originally conceived as a technology demonstrator and later entered as a competitor in the United States Air force’s Enhanced Tactical Fighter (EFT) competition but lost to the F-15E.Â
The prototypes were put into storage and several years later they were handed over to NASA for additional aeronautical research. The F-16XL could carry twice the payload of the F-16 and deliver it greater than 40% further in range. The enlarged wing area allowed for 27 hard points as opposed to the nine on the standard F-16. The F-16XL is also 2 metres longer in the fuselage but has a similar wingspan to the F-16C. The wing area of the F-16XL is 60 square metres which is over double the wing area of the standard F-16.
In 2007, NASA requested a study into the feasibility and cost of returning the F-16XL #1 to flight status and upgrading it with many of the improvements found in the USAFs F-16 Block 40 aircraft. This was studied while F-16XL #1 was taxi tested at Dryden Air Force Base and given systems checks. However both F-16XLs were finally retired in 2009 and put into storage at Edwards Air Force Base.
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