ORIGINAL: Eaglepilot2
It is very necessary! It does just as you mentioned, it strengthens the intake area from all the weight and abuse from the nose gear/landings. The real F-16 has it too for the same reasons.
No it does not! LOL! :-)
The real one has a somewhat fragile inlet de-icer probe.
The structure sorrounding the inlet is very beefy and as you move AFT it becomes part of the fuselage bulkhead.