F-16 fleet is getting a new mission computer, Air Force says

The U.S. Air Force will hold a two-day industry day October 20-21 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to brief companies on a new mission computer upgrade for its F-16 fighter fleet, according to a notice posted September 18 by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.

The event covers the Next-Generation Mission Computer program, an effort to replace the onboard computer that runs combat systems on F-16 Block 40, 42, 50 and 52 aircraft. These are the Air Force’s more heavily upgraded F-16 variants, flown by both active-duty and Air National Guard units, and they remain in service alongside newer jets like the F-35 because the F-16 is cheaper to operate and still effective for many missions.

A fighter’s mission computer is the hub that ties together its radar, sensors, weapons and cockpit displays, translating data from each system into information the pilot can act on. Older F-16 computers were designed decades ago and have limited processing power and memory by modern standards, which constrains how much new equipment, such as updated radars, jamming pods or precision weapons, the jet can actually use at once. A newer computer with more processing headroom lets the Air Force add capability to the airframe without redesigning the whole aircraft, which is generally far cheaper than buying new jets outright.

The notice does not detail which specific systems or weapons the new computer needs to support, so the exact scope of the capability upgrade is not yet public.

The Air Force will hold the sessions at the Hope Hotel and Conference Center on base, with a welcome briefing, hardware and software overviews, and a large group question and answer period on the first day. Both days include 25-minute one-on-one meetings between company representatives and a government panel that includes the program manager, contracting officers and technical leads.

Attendance is capped at 80 people total, with each company limited to two representatives. Companies can register for up to 24 one-on-one meeting slots, booked separately through a scheduling link included in the notice. Registration, including company name, CAGE code and attendee information, is due October 14 at 5 p.m. Eastern time. The Air Force said it will not reimburse travel costs or expenses tied to preparing materials for the event.

Companies can also submit up to three questions in advance for the panel discussion using a template the Air Force attached to the notice.

The industry day follows a sources sought notice the Air Force issued earlier under a related solicitation number, which the agency is using to gauge which companies could handle the upgrade work before deciding how to structure a formal competition. No request for proposals has been issued, and the Air Force said in the notice that the event does not commit the government to awarding a contract.

The notice does not disclose a program budget, contract value or how many F-16 aircraft would ultimately receive the new mission computer. It also does not specify a timeline for a follow-on solicitation once the industry day concludes.