On September 6th, the bi monthly website of National Interest published an article titled "The Age of F-16 Fighter is Coming to an End," written by geopolitical analyst Brandon Weichert. The excerpt is as follows: There is a remarkable aircraft in the arsenal of the US Air Force that has served this country for decades and will continue to prove itself as a useful weapon platform. All countries in the world love this kind of airplane. I'm not talking about the fifth generation fighter jets F-35 Lightning II or F-22 Raptor, but about the ubiquitous F-16. Since its first deployment in August 1978, multiple variants of this fighter jet have undergone various advanced upgrades and are scattered throughout the sky of our pale blue planet. But mainly due to the emergence of fifth generation fighter jets, the era of F-16 being king is coming to an end. Indeed, the expected lifespan of the F-16 exceeded the designer's initial plan, mainly due to the technical complexity and cost overruns of the F-35 and F-22 programs. However, in the near future, even if this excellent aircraft is improved, it will not be enough to compete with the world's fifth generation fighter jets and some other aircraft. That's why so many F-16 pilots in the United States are joining the F-35 training program at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. Many pilots who have been flying F-16s since the beginning of their careers are demanding or being asked to give up their beloved aircraft and instead learn to fly F-35. The service life of the F-35 will be many years longer than that of the F-16. This gradual shift will become more common in the coming years, as the F-16 has reached the limit of upgrade possibilities. Indeed, the US Air Force plans to keep these planes flying until the 1940s. The same goes for F-15 and F-18. But as the main fighter jet of the Air Force? no way. The F-16 fighter jet is currently undergoing major repairs. After all, they have been flying for nearly 50 years since their first flight. The US Air Force plans to make up to 22 improvements to the F-16 Block 40 and F-16 Block 50 aircraft. These upgrades are being carried out simultaneously with a lifespan extension project to 'extend the fatigue life of the aircraft from 8000 hours to 12000 hours'. Undoubtedly, the F-16 may be one of the greatest fighter jets in the history of the US Air Force, due to its long lifespan, easy flight control, and wide range of applications in combat. Its outstanding combat record reflects its outstanding performance. But it is still the fourth generation fighter in the world of fifth generation fighter jets. More importantly, compared to the birth of the F-16, the fifth generation fighter jet was manufactured to counter much more advanced air defense systems. Due to the large number of F-16s, the Air Force cannot afford the cost of retiring these aircraft together. Upgrading is a reasonable approach. But the things that can be upgraded are limited, and the 1.5 version of the aircraft's operating system is still closer to its initial version rather than the 2.0 version. The US F-16 is an iconic fighter jet that has reached its limits in the face of constantly changing modern threat environments. The upgrade of F-16 is likely to fail to keep up with the constantly changing threats. A better way to use funds is to invest in more powerful drone capabilities, build directed energy weapons, and ultimately create offensive and defensive hypersonic weapons for the Air Force. The future is here, and the United States is not yet prepared. Strengthening old platforms like the F-16 is not feasible, and continuing to expand the models of manned fighter jets is not enough. Compared to our enemies, we must make more efforts and be more innovative. Time is not favorable for the United States. (New Society)