The F-16 hit 50 years of flying. These photos show the Viper in action.

Pilots with the F-16 Viper and F-22 Raptor Demonstration Teams.US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mary Begy

• The F-16 Fighting Falcon celebrated the 50th anniversary of its maiden flight on January 20.
• The F-16 first graced the skies in 1974 at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon marked 50 years since its first flight on January 20, 1974.

Built by General Dynamics and now Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force, the Fighting Falcon, better known as the Viper to those who fly and maintain it, is a compact, multi-role fighter jet used in air-to-air and air-to-surface combat.

More than 4,500 aircraft for more than two dozen nations have been produced since 1974. It's flown in countless military missions by the US and its allies. Ukrainian pilots began training on actual F-16s late last year.