F-35 Takes Flight: F-16s Retire as Air Forces Shift in 2025

The transition from the F-16 Fighting Falcon to the F-35 Lightning II is accelerating across various branches of the armed forces. As of 2025, the United States Air Force (USAF) is actively retiring F-16s, replacing them with the more advanced F-35s. This trend extends beyond the USAF, as the F-35 also replaces older fighters in the Navy and Marine Corps, while international allies, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Australia, Japan, and Israel, have adopted the Joint Strike Fighter.

A direct comparison between the F-35 and the F-16 highlights significant generational differences in design and combat strategy. The F-35, often referred to as “Fat Amy,” focuses heavily on stealth, which comes at the expense of top speed. The F-16, known as the “Viper,” boasts a higher maximum speed but lacks the stealth capabilities that allow the F-35 to operate effectively in contested airspace.

Stealth and Combat Capabilities: A New Paradigm

The F-35’s primary advantage lies in its stealth and beyond visual range (BVR) capabilities. Its design assumes that air-to-air engagements will be decided at long distances, where its advanced sensors can detect, track, and neutralize adversaries before they become aware of its presence. This capability renders the F-16’s strengths in close-range dogfighting less relevant in modern conflicts dominated by fifth-generation aircraft.

Specifications for the F-16C/D include:
– **Primary function:** Multirole fighter
– **Thrust:** 27,000 pounds
– **Wingspan:** 32 feet, 8 inches (9.8 meters)
– **Length:** 49 feet, 5 inches (14.8 meters)
– **Height:** 16 feet (4.8 meters)
– **Weight:** 19,700 pounds without fuel (8,936 kilograms)
– **Maximum takeoff weight:** 37,500 pounds (16,875 kilograms)
– **Speed:** 1,500 mph (Mach 2 at altitude)
– **Range:** More than 2,002 miles (1,740 nautical miles)
– **Armament:** One M-61A1 20mm cannon and various air-to-air missiles

In contrast, the F-35 serves as a multirole sensor platform rather than a traditional fighter. It operates as a networked asset, gathering intelligence and sharing it with other aircraft, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of allied forces. This capability allows the F-35 to engage targets before they can be detected by older platforms like the F-16.

The F-35 is designed to be the “first-in” aircraft, entering hostile territories to gather crucial intelligence and disable enemy air defenses. The aircraft can carry a reduced munitions load for stealth missions, switching to external armament when stealth is less critical.

Transforming Military Strategy and Global Partnerships

The introduction of the F-35 is reshaping the USAF’s long-standing “high-low” fighter mix, which traditionally involved pairing a high-cost, high-performance aircraft with lower-cost alternatives like the F-16. While the F-16 has served effectively as the lower end of this equation, the F-35 is positioned as a high-end multirole fighter capable of strategic attack, air defense suppression, and close air support.

The F-35 program provides logistical and interoperability benefits, allowing various branches of the U.S. military to streamline maintenance and support across a shared supply chain. On July 2, 2025, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto announced plans for Italy to establish the first F-35 pilot training school outside the United States, further solidifying international collaboration within the program.

Despite its advanced capabilities, the F-35 program has faced scrutiny over its high costs and complex development. Current estimates suggest that the F-35’s total program costs have surpassed those of historical military projects, including the Manhattan Project.

As the global fleet expands, with approximately 3,000 F-35s expected to be deployed, the F-35 is set to enhance collective defense efforts among allied nations. While the United States maintains control over nearly two-thirds of the fleet, partners like Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia are increasing their investments in stealth technology.

The F-16 remains operational in about twenty-five countries, with over 4,600 units produced. Its historical significance as a versatile fighter has paved the way for multinational cooperation in developing the F-35, which benefits from shared resources, lowering development costs.

As military strategies evolve, the F-35 emerges not only as a cutting-edge fighter but also as a cornerstone of modern air combat, poised to define the future dynamics of aerial warfare against adversaries such as China and Russia. The presence of F-35s within allied air forces sends a clear message of collective resolve and deterrence against potential threats.