09.03.2010.
Boeing je dobio ugovor vredan skoro 70 miliona dolara za razvoj avio meta QF-16 na bazi aviona F-16A. Trenutno USAF poseduje 74 mete QF-4 Fantoma od ukupno 174 proizvedenih, a njih će od 2014. godine zameniti 126 QF-16. Poslednji F-16A je povučen iz upotrebe 15. juna 2007. i kao i drugi istog tipa smešten u avio bazu Davis-Monthan gde čeka dalju sudbinu.
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US Air Force to get QF-16 drones
Boeing is to develop an F-16 drone.
Gary Parsons - 9-Mar-2010
March 9: The US Air Force has awarded Boeing almost $70 million for the initial engineering, manufacturing and development of QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Targets to replace its current fleet of QF-4 Phantoms. Up to 126 QF-16 drones will be required from 2014.
Retired F-16s will be converted into unmanned drones for use as aerial targets to evaluate US fighters and weapons tactics. Boeing says that QF-16 design and development will take place in St. Louis and flight testing and production completed at the Boeing facility in Cecil Field, Florida, near Jacksonville.
The US Air Force has about 72 QF-4 drones left from 174 converted.
Izvor: key.aero