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Simulating a Bombing Raid in an F-16

The historic 1981 Israeli operation took out Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor.

The F-16 is known as a fighter pilot's fighter. [Courtesy: Patrick Chovanec]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The F-16, conceived as an agile, cost-effective complement to the F-15, introduced revolutionary designs like fly-by-wire controls and intentional aerodynamic instability for superior maneuverability.
  • It proved its combat effectiveness in the daring 1981 Israeli raid on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor, executing a high-risk, long-range, low-altitude strike that successfully destroyed the target without losses.
  • The F-16 became a highly versatile multirole fighter, widely adopted by over two dozen nations globally, serving extensively in various conflicts and continuously upgraded, cementing its status as an enduring and adaptable combat aircraft.
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Today in Microsoft Flight Simulator, I’ll be checking out the F-16. And to get things rolling, I’ll be flying one of its most historic missions: the 1981 Israeli bombing raid to take out Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor.

Originally produced by General Dynamics, which has since sold its aircraft business to Lockheed Martin, the F-16 came about in the early 1970s in response to the shortcomings of the F-4 Phantom, which saw murderous attrition rates in the skies over Vietnam, and the introduction of new, more advanced Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25.

Patrick Chovanec

Patrick Chovanec works as an economist in New York City, and has taught as a professor at China's Tsinghua University and at Columbia University. He is a private pilot, and author of the recently released book ""Cleared for the Option: A Year Learning to Fly.""

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