The F-16XL (known as the KFX-2 in Airforce Delta Storm) is a concept aircraft that has appeared in both Airforce Delta Storm and Airforce Delta Strike. It was originally conceived as a technology demonstrator, but later entered the Enhanced Tactical Fighter competition, and lost to the F-15E Strike Eagle. All prototypes were turned over to NASA for aeronautical research.
Design (All games)
The F-16XL is an incredibly interesting looking plane. Though it does have a passing resemblance to its older self (The same stabilizer and single engine design), everything else is completely different. The two wings (Known as "Cranked-arrow delta wings") are completely different, and give the plane a very strange shape.
Performance
Airforce Delta Storm
A much different plane than what you'd expect, the KFX-2 has very high speed, power, and mobility stats, but its attack and defense stats are incredibly poor. The low attack stat means you have very little in the way of missiles, making it tough to recommend unless you're good at gunning down enemies. The plane's stats are definitely a far cry from what it would become in the next game.
Airforce Delta Strike
A complete 180 from its previous incarnation, the aircraft is now more suitably an attacker. Stats are very similar to the Tornado GR1's stats, although it has slightly better defenses, but worse thrust. It also lacks a vulcan compared to the Tornado, which hurts it somewhat. However, it is one of two planes in the entire game that have the Multi-Lock Air-to-Surface Missile, a very useful special weapon for taking out ground targets. Unlike the ML-AAMs, which suffer from poor accuracy due to the mobility of their targets, ML-ASMs are generally fired at slow moving ground targets, making them scarily effective. It might just be worth using for that fact alone!
Statistics
Airforce Delta Storm
Attack: Low
Defense: Medium-low (2000 HP)
Speed: High
Power: Medium-high
Mobility: Very high
Missle: 33
Ability: No
Range: 3
(There are no differences in stats between the US and PAL versions)
Airforce Delta Strike
(Clockwise starting from top)
Anti Air Attack: Low
Mobility: Medium-high
Defense: High (3800 HP)
Anti Ground Attack: Medium-high
Thrust: Medium
Speed: Medium-high
Enemy Appearances (missions)
- Enemy KFX-2s appear in Fortress on the Sands. There are two of them, and they are not required kills.
Gallery
Airforce Delta Storm
Airforce Delta Strike
Trivia
- The strange name in Airforce Delta Storm most likely comes from the relatively-unknown GameBoy Advance titles.
- Incidentally, in 2013, an unrelated plane known as the KF-X would be introduced.
