The F-16 is the modern era’s indisputably best mass-produced, multirole fighter. The Viper was conceived as nothing more than a daytime interceptor with high agility, but it was transformed into the most combat-effective fighter in the jet era. Nearly 5,000 have been made for 25 operators around the world, and it continues to evolve five decades after it debuted. The F-16 has proven to be endlessly adaptable and timelessly capable in the face of everything thrown at it.