General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

The F-16 Fighting Falcon emerged from the Lightweight Fighter movement of the 1970s, which argued for a smaller, highly manoeuvrable fighter rather than ever-larger and more complex aircraft. Its relaxed-stability aerodynamics, fly-by-wire controls, bubble canopy and side-stick controller made it a striking break from older fighter design.

What made the F-16 exceptional was how far it evolved beyond its original day-fighter concept. It became a multirole workhorse used by air forces around the world, able to perform air-to-air, strike, suppression and precision-attack missions. Few modern fighters have matched its balance of performance, adaptability and production success.