Can ipad Air 2 upgrade to software version 16?

An iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4 isn't capable of 16 or above; they require an A9 or better CPU.

(252884)

An Air2 is capable of update to iPadOS 15.8.x; the Air2 fundamentally does not support iPadOS 16 or later.

If you need to use Apps that require your iPad to be running iPadOS 17, you have no alternative than to consider replacing your Air2 with a much newer model iPad.

For information, here is a list of the highest version of iOS supported by the older models of iPad (for simplicity - “generations” are shortened to a number) that are restricted in their ability to be updated:

32-bit devices (obsolete)

iPad1 - iOS 5.1.1

iPad2, iPad3 and iPad mini1 - iOS 9.3.5 (WiFi Only models), iOS 9.3.6 (WiFi & Cellular)

iPad4 - iOS 10.3.3 (WiFi Only), iOS 10.3.4 (WiFi & Cellular)

64-bit devices

iPad Air1*, iPad mini2 and iPad mini3* - iOS 12.5.7

iPad Air2, iPad mini4 - iPadOS 15.8.2

iPad5, iPad Pro (9.7"/12.9" first generation) - iPadOS 16.7.7

(*) obsolete

Newer models are all able to be updated to the current version - iPadOS 17.4.1

• iPad Pro 12.9" (2nd generation and later)
• iPad Pro 11" (1st generation and later)
• iPad Pro 10.5"
• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
• iPad (6th generation and later)
• iPad mini (5th generation and later)