SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- For more than 50 years, the F-16 Fighting Falcon - commonly known as the Viper - has earned its reputation as a fast, flexible and formidable multirole fighter. Now, with the latest integration of precision-guided rockets designed to take down enemy aircraft and other aerial targets, the Viper continues to evolve to meet the demands of 21st century air warfare.
The newest addition to the F-16’s combat capabilities is the modified AGR-20 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) precision-guided rocket: the AGR-20F. Spearheaded by the F-16 operational test community, this munition was validated and field tested in September 2024. The 20th Fighter Wing’s pilots and maintainers have been training to use it since.
“This weapon improvement increases our capabilities. As we stay ready for the ever-changing character of war, our fighter pilots and maintainers have trained to become experts in its employment,” said U.S Air Force Col. Hugh Walker, 20th FW acting wing commander. “As always, our Airmen have done a fantastic job integrating this new capability and increasing the F-16’s lethality.”
On June 11, 2025, Airmen assigned to the 20th Maintenance Group weapon standardization section loaded an F-16 with six rocket launchers and four air-to-air missiles as part of weapons maintenance training for the new AGR-20F Standard Conventional Load (SCL). Weapon standardization ensures safe, effective and reliable procedures are followed when loading munitions. The load incorporated six LAU-131 rocket launchers capable of expending 42 2.75-inch rockets, two AIM-120 and two AIM-9 series missiles.
“While the Viper has been equipped to carry up to 42 rockets for decades, the newest SCL equips the F-16 to do so while also carrying four heat-seeking AIM-9X missiles,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. James Gregory, 77th Fighter Squadron Viper weapons officer. “These rockets have been used dozens of times to shoot down one-way attack drones in the Red Sea, doing so without using the more costly and longer-range AIM-120 missiles.
“The global use of hundreds of one-way attack drones and cruise missiles in recent years has prompted tactical planners to look for capabilities to quickly down many of these munitions, and this new load out makes the F-16 an efficient, low-cost, air-to-air fighter suited to execute a high volume of counter-air missions.”
The AGR-20F rocket and seeker costs approximately $40,000 compared to roughly $500,000 for an AIM-9 missile or $1 million for an AIM-120 missile.
The AGR-20 began as an air-to-ground weapon system in the mid-2010s and was used extensively by Shaw’s 77th FS during their deployment to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan from 2017-2018. In December 2019, the 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB shot down a target drone using an AGR-20A laser-guided rocket, providing proof of concept to use rockets queued from an F-16 targeting pod as viable munitions to perform defensive air-to-air operations.
Fast forward to today and the AGR-20F has grown into a multi-purpose F-16 capability with proven effectiveness against airborne threats.
“The AGR-20F has great success downrange,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffrey Entine, Eglin AFB Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force commander and first pilot to shoot the AGR-20 in an air-to-air test engagement.
“Additional avionics updates also double the number of simultaneous engagements since each pilot can shoot down targets by themselves rather than needing two jets to do it. This is a key capability and key enabler for the combatant commanders.”
As the Air Force’s largest F-16 combat wing, the 20th FW is frequently called upon to support world-wide contingency operations. Within the last year, 77th FS pilots and maintenance crews practiced live-fire drills and Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses operations while deployed to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Currently, 20th FW Airmen are executing air-to-air and air-to-ground missions in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Wherever, whenever, the 20th FW’s F-16 Wild Weasels have stood the test of time and continue to adapt and evolve to meet the United States’ threats with proven air dominance.