CECIL FIELD, Fla.—Elected officials, Air Force representatives and Boeing [BA] employees gathered here Friday to celebrate the QF-16, a program to bring the Air Force a more capable and threat representative target than it has now.
The QF-16 program has been in place for two years under a $72 million pre-engineering and manufacturing development program awarded to Boeing in March 2010 to turn six manned F-16 aircraft into an unmanned or manned full-scale aerial target.
Right now, the requirement is for 210 QF-16 jets, in 9 production lots—although that could certainly change, the Air Force confirms. Deliveries now are expected from late in 2014 through 2023.
The QF-16 will bring the Air Force next-generation capabilities as it replaces the capabilities of the venerable QF-4 target now used, said Torbjorn Sjogren, vice president, Global Maintenance & Upgrades at Boeing during the ceremony.
Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) said the success of the program to date “sends a signal we are open for business here in Northeast Florida.”
In front of the 005 QF-16, a former National Guard jet, Sjogren said, “We’re positioned for positive momentum here at Cecil.”
The experience and skills gained in converting the early model F-16s could, he said, help in gaining new business as worldwide F-16 customers need support, modernization or upgrades—a large market.
The jet, with its bright orange markings, was brought to Cecil Field in 2010 for conversion to a QF-16. That particular jet, 85-1569, started out as an F-16C Block 30B in 1987, and among other missions, took part in Northern Watch–monitoring the United Nations mandated no-fly zone in Iraq–before heading to storage.
Crenshaw said he was interested in making Cecil Field a center of excellence” for technology and innovation.
State Sen. Stephen Wise (R) was interested in the potential of work like the aerial target. “I am so tired of dealing with people with no vision,” he said. He’d like to see companies and country school districts work to bring a “trained and talented” pool of aerospace workers in the area.
Florida State Rep. Dan Davis (R) said it was “inspiring” to see a spirit of cooperation that was creating jobs and economic viability.
City of Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown said Boeing had invested in the community, and as a community partner helps build a stronger city. Working with Boeing and other companies, he said, the city could focus on “progress and positive change.”
Once of the completed QF-16 jets took off with its chase plane, the echoing roar of the jets causing a pause in the ceremony.
The potential new target is still a fly-by-wire jet, compared to the mechanically configured Q-4 aerial target, with changes that included installing 3,000 new wires. The aerial target aircraft will also be more maneuverable than the current Q-4. The Air Force wants a more threat- representative target, and to retain as many of the F-16 capabilities as possible. It has an adaptable flight architecture for alternative ground control systems and uses subsystems with proven technologies.
Overall, Sjogren said, the design minimizes modifications to F-16 systems.
The six jets will move to Tyndall AFB, Fla., where they will under go developmental and then operational testing with an independent Air Force testing organization.
Beyond that, the program moves to a Milestone C acquisition review and, if all is positive, moves on to Low-Rate Initial Production.