F-16D Barak II

F-16D Barak II

Nesher

F-15I Ra’am

F-16D Barak II

Nesher

F-15I Ra’am

Israel

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
13.7	13.7	13.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:400 000

Purchase:1 080 000

Description

During the late 1970s, Israel was designing a new jet fighter with ideas borrowed from previous aircraft they utilized. It ultimately culminated in the IAI Lavi, a fierce competitor to the F-16 Fighting Falcon in the export market. Unfortunately for Israel, the project increased in cost and was canceled for budgetary reasons. The US also had a part in the demise of the Lavi as they viewed the Lavi as a threat to the F-16's export capability. As compensation, the US sent 24 F-16Ds and around 50 F-16Cs in 1987. A year later, under the Peace Marble III program, Israel ordered 30 F-16Cs and 30 F-16Ds. The F-16Ds received extensive modifications like refinished Multi-Function Displays and Heads-Up Displays.

Introduced in Update "Sons of Attila", the F-16D Block 40 Barak II is one of the most advanced F-16s in-game. For ground striking it can utilize the LANTIRN pod, making it an effective all-weather platform. It also has a variety of bombs to use including dumb bombs and smart bombs like the GBU-16. For air combat, the Barak II also has a variety of ordnance to use. The Barak II has access to the AIM-9M Sidewinder, an extremely capable infrared missile that boasts a unique IRCCM system and a smokeless motor. It can also carry AIM-7M Sparrows for long-range engagements. The F-16D Block 40 Barak II is a very versatile aircraft for both ground striking and air combat.

General info

Flight performance

Arrestor gear

Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 11 582 m2 110 km/h

Turn time22 s

Max altitude15 240 m

EngineGeneral Electric F110-GE-100

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight17 t

The General Electric engine provides a very good TWR, and the Barak II is able to accelerate quite fast. The turning rate is good, but the airframe performance is inferior to the F-16A airframes since the Barak II has an increased weight. Additionally, carrying an air-to-ground payload will severely impact your flight performance. The turning rate is sufficient for most encounters.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,058	2,028	15240	23.1	23.8	230.0	220.0	850
Upgraded	2,163	2,110		21.9	22.5	303.1	265.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	✓	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1,555	482	-	470	463	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	-

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric F110-GE-100		1	9,228 kg		454 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		13m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	44m fuel
1,778 kg	Afterburning low-bypass turbofan		10,202 kg	10,695 kg	11,428 kg	12,475 kg	17,903 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	13m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	44m fuel	MGW
Stationary	6,646 kgf	10,966 kgf	1.07	1.03	0.96	0.88	0.61
Optimal	6,914 kgf (1,200 - 1,400 km/h)	14,603 kgf (1,200 km/h)	1.43	1.37	1.28	1.17	0.82

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew2 people

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear482 km/h

Similar to other top-tier aircraft, the Barak II doesn't have any significant armor. The airframe can take some hits from 20mm/30mm, but a good burst will easily rip control surfaces apart, destroy the engine, and knock out pilots. A direct hit from any missile will most likely destroy the plane entirely.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 148 → 4 388

RB9 094 → 12 677

SB10 725 → 14 950

Total cost of modifications324 600

501 000

Talisman cost3 100

Crew training310 000

Experts1 080 000

Aces3 400

Research Aces1 280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

90 / 320 / 490 %

250 / 250 / 250 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 New boosters Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 480 Wings repair Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520 Engine Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 800	Fuselage repair Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 Airframe Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 480 Cover Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520	Flares/Chaff Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 40px Mk82/GBU-39 Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 LITENING II Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 M60_belt_pack Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 AIM-9L Research: 8 800 Cost: 14 000 350 G-suit Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 480 M117 Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 480 GBU-12 Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 480 AIM-7M Research: 12 000 Cost: 18 000 480 Mk83 Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520 GBU-16 Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520 M60_new_gun Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520 M60_new_gun Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520 AIM-9M Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 520 40px Mk84/GBU-31 Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 800 GBU-10 Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 800 GBU-15 Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 800 Derby Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 800

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)	EEGS

Offensive armament

The F-16D Barak II is armed with:

• 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
• 180 x countermeasures

The 20 mm Vulcan is an excellent weapon for air-to-air combat as it has favorable projectile velocity and is very easy to aim. However, the gun has a short spool up time so players must take this into account when preparing for a short burst. Plenty of countermeasures allow for longer time in battle and players also can be less concerned about running out of flares/chaff.

Suspended armament

The F-16D Barak II can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs			4	4			4	4
500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs			4	4			4	4
750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs			1, 2	1, 2			1, 2	1, 2
1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs			1, 2	1, 2			1, 2	1, 2
2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs			1	1			1	1
277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs			2*	2*			2*	2*
1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs			1*	1*			1*	1*
957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II bombs			1*	1*			1*	1*
2,000 lb GBU-15(V)2/B bombs			1					1
AIM-7M Sparrow missiles			1					1
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles	1	1	1					1	1	1
AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles	1	1	1					1	1	1
Derby missiles	1	1	1					1	1	1
LITENING II targeting pod					1*
300 gal drop tanks						1
370 gal drop tanks				1			1
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 2,000 kg
* LITENING II pod must be equipped when carrying Paveway guided bombs

Default weapon presets

2 x 370 gal drop tanks + 1 x 300 gal drop tank 2 x Derby missiles + 2 x AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles 6 x AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles 6 x Derby missiles 16 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (8,000 lb total) 16 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (8,000 lb total) 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total) 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total) 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total) 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total) 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total) 8 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (2,216 kg total) 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total) 4 x 957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II bombs (3,828 kg total) 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)2/B bombs (4,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

The F-16D Barak II provides a good platform for either committing to attacking other planes, destroying ground targets in GRB with the diverse payload options, or a mixture of both. A large amount of flares/chaff helps prolong the time the Barak II can spend in battle. Players must however keep in mind that the engine burns fuel very quickly when left on afterburner.

Like all other top-tier jets, maintaining situational awareness and knowing when to engage/disengage enemies is critical to survival. Especially in GRB, keep an eye out for enemy SPAA and be ready to take evasive maneuvers when your RWR is pinged or if you spot a missile.

When bringing the Barak II to GRB, the player can choose to either use conventional bombs or the "smart" GBU guided bombs. The four 2000lbs are very useful for taking out enemy tanks quickly when rushing, but the player again must be beware of ground SPAA and anti-air fire since the Barak II lacks armor. After bombs are expended, players can use their anti-air missiles against enemy planes if they choose to do so.

In ARB, the Barak II is best suited to plane-to-plane combat as it will benefit the team the most, and the Barak II's flight performance is significantly reduced when carrying bombs of any kind. It is better to not commit to close-range fights as you can easily be killed by other enemies while you are focused on eliminating someone, however the 20mm Vulcan makes downing planes quite easy if you need it. Make sure to utilize your AIM-9Ms as they are very effective at taking out enemy planes.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Access to the deadly AIM-9M missiles
• Excellent loadout variety for ground attack and Air to Air combat
• Good flight performance and maneuverability in most situations
• Large number of countermeasures for prolonged combat, allows for some leniency in countermeasure use
• Engine provides a very good TWR (thrust to weight ratio)

Cons:

• Inferior flight performance to the normal F-16A airframe due to additional weight
• Carrying bombs or external ground-strike payload negatively impacts flight performance
• Engine consumes fuel very quickly when on WEP/afterburner
• No armor of any kind, extremely vulnerable to ground and air munitions of any kind
• Large engine gives off a significant heat signature for IR missiles, even when afterburner is off
• Tier III and Tier IV modifications take some time to research for non-premium players

History

In the late 1970s, Israel began its ambitious project to produce its first locally-manufactured jet fighter, meant to replace the aging IAI Kfir. Learning from their previous work on the Mirage and Kfir programs, and borrowing ideas from America's then-new F-16A fighter jet (which had entered IAF service in 1980 as the "Netz"), Israeli aeronautic engineers were able to develop a highly-manoeuvrable, delta-wing, single-seat fighter of their own - the IAI Lavi.

After nearly a decade of development the Lavi's first prototype was flown in 1986, and reportedly proved extremely capable. The United States, which had up to that point supported and partially funded the Lavi project, was dismayed to learn that the new aircraft might be good enough to provide a much cheaper competitor for the F-16 on the export market. The Reagan administration soon began pressuring the Israeli government to cancel the project. Though Israel's defense minister Moshe Arens was strongly behind the Lavi, the project's ever-increasing pricetag made it easy for the rest of the Israeli government to agree to US demands. The Lavi project was finally canceled in late 1987.

As compensation for torpedoing Israel's fighter manufacture ambitions, the United States agreed to sell Israel additional F-16Cs and Ds. A significant number of them, all from the Block 30 model, had already been sold to Israel by that point, entering IAF service under the codename "Barak" (Lightning) in late 1987. In 1988, the US and Israel signed that new "compensation" deal - named "Peace Marble III" - delivering a total of 60 F-16s, all from Block 40, between 1991 and 1993. Half were F-16Cs and half were F-16Ds (single-seat and double-seat, respectively). In the IAF, these new Block 40 aircraft were named "Barak II" (Lightning II), correspondingly amending the name of the older Block 30 aircraft to "Barak I" (note: the IAF does not keep separate names for single- and double-seat variants of the F-16).

The F-16C/D has several advantages over the F-16A/B, but the most important is the ability to mount a LANTIRN pod, turning the plane into an all-weather operator. As Israeli engineers had done with all other combat planes purchased for the IAF in the last 50 years, they also updated most of the avionics and introduced many locally-manufactured, cutting-edge improvements. This included completely redone Multi-Function Displays (MFDs) and in-helmet Heads-Up Display (HUD), among multiple other additions like the newest locally-manufactured IR missile the Python-4 and later the Active-Radar-Homing Rafael Derby Missile.

Barak II aircraft have taken part in almost every Israeli military campaign since their introduction, including the Second Lebanon War of 2006. Nevertheless, the changing needs of the Israeli Air Force have created a demand for a more dedicated fighter in the long-distance and precision-strike roles, resulting in the birth of the F-16I "Sufa". This heavily-modified F-16D Block 52 has since completely replaced the Barak in those roles, leaving it only with mid-altitude interception duties, which it still performs to this day. However, with the F-35 "Adir" now increasingly filling that role, there are ever-growing calls within the Israeli military community to finally retire the Barak II.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the F-16D Barak II from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• F-16 (Family)

External links

• [Devblog] Barak II: Lightning Over The Desert

Israel jet aircraft
	Kfir Canard · Kfir C.2 · Kfir C.7 · Nesher
Britain
Meteor	Meteor NF.13 · Meteor F.8
France
Vautour	Vautour IIA · Vautour IIN
Super Mystere	Sambad · Sa'ar
Mirage III	Shahak
Other	M.D.450B Ouragan · Mystere IVA
USA
F-84	F-84F
A-4	A-4H · A-4E Early (M) · A-4E · Ayit
F-4	Kurnass · Kurnass 2000
F-15	Baz · Baz Meshupar · F-15I Ra’am
F-16	Netz · F-16C Barak II · F-16D Barak II