The Fortschritt E516 is a grain combine harvester that was manufactured by Fortschritt from 1977 to 1988, when it was replaced by the E517 model.

After extensive testing in 1974 and 1975, it was put into series production in 1977. After the development of the E 512 machine, a requirement was placed for the production of a new improved machine, especially in terms of performance. The result of the project was an increase in the performance of the E516 by up to 100% compared to the E 512. The machine has five straw walkers, an 8 VD 14.5 / 12.5 SVW engine, 168 kW. As a result of the oil crisis that hit the GDR in 1982, a modernized type of combine harvester, the E 516B, was designed. Compared to the E 516, it had 10% lower consumption. Operating speed 1 - 20 km/h.

The Fortschritt E 516 is equipped with front-wheel drive with a continuously variable hydraulic transmission. The corn passes through the E 516 longitudinally. This means that it enters the combine at the front and is drawn into the threshing drum located in the middle; the straw exits the machine at the rear after being cleaned in the straw walkers installed at the rear of the machine.

The Fortschritt E 516 can be used for several different types of corn, with an output of 14,000 kg/h. The threshing drum is 1625 mm wide and 800 mm in diameter. It is equipped with 10 scrapers. It is driven by a belt, which has a hydraulically adjustable length. By 1988, over 15,000 E 516 machines had been produced.