QF-16

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a $10.2 million contract modification related to its production of QF-16 full-scale aerial targets, according to a June 4 announcement from the Department of Defense. The adjustment settles a previously filed request for equitable compensation tied to earlier phases of production under contract FA8678-10-C-0100. This latest modification brings the cumulative contract value to more than $318 million. Work will take place at Boeing’s facility in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by the end of December 2026. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Aerial Targets Branch at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is managing the contract. The QF-16, a modified version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, serves as a full-scale aerial target used for weapons system testing. The aircraft offers advanced threat replication capabilities and can operate in either manned or unmanned modes depending on mission requirements. According to Boeing, the QF-16 “offers more realistic threat replication in performance, maneuverability and capabilities,” allowing operators to evaluate air-to-air and surface-to-air weapons systems under realistic flight conditions. The unmanned capability enables the drone to simulate adversary aircraft in contested environments without risking pilot lives, while its F-16 airframe ensures credible performance characteristics. Production and conversion of retired F-16 aircraft into QF-16 targets has taken place under Boeing's oversight since the early 2010s. The platform is regularly used at test ranges across the United States, including Tyndall and Holloman Air Force Bases.

QF-16

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