F-16 Advanced Fighter Technology Integration Program[edit]
In March 1980, General Dynamics began converting the sixth FSD F-16A to serve as the technology demonstrator aircraft for the joint Flight Dynamics Laboratory-NASA Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) program. The AFTI F-16 built upon GD's experience with its YF-16 CCV program, and the AFTI F-16 even received the twin pivoting vertical pectoral fins (chin fins) from the CCV aircraft, which were likewise installed under the air intake. The aircraft was also fitted with a narrow dorsal fairing along its spine to house additional electronics. Technologies introduced and tested on the AFTI F-16 include a full-authority triplex Digital Flight Control System (DFCS), a six-degree-of-freedom Automated Maneuvering Attack System (AMAS), a 256-word-capacity Voice-Controlled Interactive Device (VCID) to control the avionics suite, and a helmet-mounted target designation sight that permitted the forward-looking infrared (FLIR) device and the radar to be automatically "slaved" to the pilot's head movement. First flight of the AFTI F-16 occurred on 10 July 1982. The Air Force Association gave its 1987 Theodore von Karman Award for the most outstanding achievement in science and engineering to the AFTI F-16 team.[46][47]The AFTI F-16 participated in numerous research and development programs:[48]
- AFTI Phase I testing (1981–83): a two-year effort focused on proving the DFCS system.
- AFTI Phase II testing (1983–87): evaluation of the wing-root-mounted FLIR and the AMAS system.
- CAS/BAI (1988–92): a five-phase evaluation program testing a variety of low-level close air support/battlefield air interdiction (CAS/BAI) techniques, including an Automatic Target Handoff System (ATHS) (which transferred target data from ground stations or other aircraft to the AFTI F-16) and off-axis weapons launch.
- Talon Sword Bravo (1993–94): demonstration of cooperative engagement techniques where the aircraft fires at a target based on targeting information datalinked from a distant sensor; the weapon principally investigated was the AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM).
- EGI (1994 & 1997): testing of embedded GPS/INS (EGI) navigation systems, including evaluation of the reliability of GPS in jamming environments.
- AGCAS (1994–96): testing of an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS or Auto-GCAS) to help reduce the incidence of "controlled flight into terrain" (CFIT); lessons learned from this program were further evolved on the F-16 GCAS.
- J/IST (1997–2000): testing of the world's first all-electric flight control system under the Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Subsystem Technologies (J/IST) program.
