The first F-16XL, ship no. 1 was reflown on March 9, 1989 and delivered to the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility at Edwards AFB. This aircraft was modified for laminar-flow studies, with an experimental titanium section on its left wing (called a glove), with millions of tiny laser-cut holes (typical 2,500 holes/sq inch and 5 sq feet of holes).

Modified as F-16XL/A with cranked-arrow wing and flew for the first time as F-16XL-1 on July 15, 1982. Flew 437 flights as the XL with the USAF.

New 'Viper Shield' electronic warfare system has first flight on a Bahraini F-16 The first flight of the AN/ALQ-254(V)1 Viper Shield electronic warfare suite was performed on an F-16C Block 70 of the Royal Bahraini Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base on Jan. 23, 2025.

The F-16XL design's ailerons were modified by extending the tips 1-2 ft., and adding an outboard area forward of the hingeline. Since LMTAS has been awarded the contract to develop the F-35 as the next multirole fighter of the USAF and a lot of it's allies, futher development of this version isn't expected anymore.

F-16XL carrying a full complement: 2 wingtip AIM-9 Sidewinders, two underwing 370 gal tanks, 10 Mk.82 (500 lbs) on underwing stations, 2 on the centerline, and 4 semi-recessed Amraams [Photo by Erwin Boone]

USAF F-16XL #75-0749 carrying AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles in flight. The aircraft features a 'cranked arrow' wing for improved subsonic and supersonic flight, semi-conformal weapons carriage for reduced weight and drag, and fly-by-wire complete electronic flight control system. Photographed here on July 3rd, 1982. [GD photo]

F-16XL ship 1 #75749 in A/A configuration with 2 AIM-9 Sidewinders on the wingtips, and 4 AIM-120 AMRAAMs [USAF photo] F-16XL/A, #75749, in early flight trials [USAF photo] F-16XL ship no. 2 flying above the Edwards dry lake bed in 1995.

They were assigned a new NASA serial number: F-16XL/A received #849 and F-16XL/B received #848. Both F-16XL aircraft are currently stored in the NASA hangar at Edwards. For in-depth information on the F-16XL, please refer to F-16.net's F-16XL article. AFTI F-16 - Advanced Fighter Technology Integration

The pilot survived unharmed but very shaken. It was shipped to General Dynamics Fort Worth in a C-5 and rebuilt into the first cranked-arrow F-16XL, flying back to Edwards one year later on December 2nd, 1981. It was later converted into a dual-seat F-16XL/B. First flight in its new configuration was on October 29th, 1982.

Apr 27, 1998 · F-16XL ship no. 1 (#849) in black/white color scheme landing after another test sortie [NASA photo] Currently the F-16XLs have been kept in flyable storage for almost a decade. NASA hopes for an affordable Lockheed Martin contract, a study the cost of upgrading and returning Ship number 1, the single-seat F-16XL #75-0749 which wears NASA number ...