diff --git a/.buildkite/pipelines/intake.yml b/.buildkite/pipelines/intake.yml
index 6e15d6415496..9efb9c8b498a 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipelines/intake.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipelines/intake.yml
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ steps:
         timeout_in_minutes: 300
         matrix:
           setup:
-            BWC_VERSION: ["8.16.2", "8.17.1", "8.18.0", "9.0.0"]
+            BWC_VERSION: ["8.16.3", "8.17.1", "8.18.0", "9.0.0"]
         agents:
           provider: gcp
           image: family/elasticsearch-ubuntu-2004
diff --git a/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic-packaging.yml b/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic-packaging.yml
index abd11068e7a6..b1e5a7bf933c 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic-packaging.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic-packaging.yml
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ steps:
         env:
           BWC_VERSION: 8.15.5
 
-      - label: "{{matrix.image}} / 8.16.2 / packaging-tests-upgrade"
-        command: ./.ci/scripts/packaging-test.sh -Dbwc.checkout.align=true destructiveDistroUpgradeTest.v8.16.2
+      - label: "{{matrix.image}} / 8.16.3 / packaging-tests-upgrade"
+        command: ./.ci/scripts/packaging-test.sh -Dbwc.checkout.align=true destructiveDistroUpgradeTest.v8.16.3
         timeout_in_minutes: 300
         matrix:
           setup:
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ steps:
           machineType: custom-16-32768
           buildDirectory: /dev/shm/bk
         env:
-          BWC_VERSION: 8.16.2
+          BWC_VERSION: 8.16.3
 
       - label: "{{matrix.image}} / 8.17.1 / packaging-tests-upgrade"
         command: ./.ci/scripts/packaging-test.sh -Dbwc.checkout.align=true destructiveDistroUpgradeTest.v8.17.1
diff --git a/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic.yml b/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic.yml
index f2d169cd2b30..4c593bae62d7 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipelines/periodic.yml
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ steps:
             - signal_reason: agent_stop
               limit: 3
 
-      - label: 8.16.2 / bwc
-        command: .ci/scripts/run-gradle.sh -Dbwc.checkout.align=true v8.16.2#bwcTest
+      - label: 8.16.3 / bwc
+        command: .ci/scripts/run-gradle.sh -Dbwc.checkout.align=true v8.16.3#bwcTest
         timeout_in_minutes: 300
         agents:
           provider: gcp
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ steps:
           buildDirectory: /dev/shm/bk
           preemptible: true
         env:
-          BWC_VERSION: 8.16.2
+          BWC_VERSION: 8.16.3
         retry:
           automatic:
             - exit_status: "-1"
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ steps:
           setup:
             ES_RUNTIME_JAVA:
               - openjdk21
-            BWC_VERSION: ["8.16.2", "8.17.1", "8.18.0", "9.0.0"]
+            BWC_VERSION: ["8.16.3", "8.17.1", "8.18.0", "9.0.0"]
         agents:
           provider: gcp
           image: family/elasticsearch-ubuntu-2004
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ steps:
             ES_RUNTIME_JAVA:
               - openjdk21
               - openjdk23
-            BWC_VERSION: ["8.16.2", "8.17.1", "8.18.0", "9.0.0"]
+            BWC_VERSION: ["8.16.3", "8.17.1", "8.18.0", "9.0.0"]
         agents:
           provider: gcp
           image: family/elasticsearch-ubuntu-2004
diff --git a/.ci/bwcVersions b/.ci/bwcVersions
index 3cb983373138..cf12ee8c1541 100644
--- a/.ci/bwcVersions
+++ b/.ci/bwcVersions
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ BWC_VERSION:
   - "8.13.4"
   - "8.14.3"
   - "8.15.5"
-  - "8.16.2"
+  - "8.16.3"
   - "8.17.1"
   - "8.18.0"
   - "9.0.0"
diff --git a/.ci/snapshotBwcVersions b/.ci/snapshotBwcVersions
index e05c0774c981..68c6ad560154 100644
--- a/.ci/snapshotBwcVersions
+++ b/.ci/snapshotBwcVersions
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 BWC_VERSION:
-  - "8.16.2"
+  - "8.16.3"
   - "8.17.1"
   - "8.18.0"
   - "9.0.0"
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/Version.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/Version.java
index 47c43eadcfb0..8873c9b0e281 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/Version.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/Version.java
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ public class Version implements VersionId<Version>, ToXContentFragment {
     public static final Version V_8_16_0 = new Version(8_16_00_99);
     public static final Version V_8_16_1 = new Version(8_16_01_99);
     public static final Version V_8_16_2 = new Version(8_16_02_99);
+    public static final Version V_8_16_3 = new Version(8_16_03_99);
     public static final Version V_8_17_0 = new Version(8_17_00_99);
     public static final Version V_8_17_1 = new Version(8_17_01_99);
     public static final Version V_8_18_0 = new Version(8_18_00_99);
diff --git a/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/TransportVersions.csv b/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/TransportVersions.csv
index 08db0822dfef..2016f59b58a3 100644
--- a/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/TransportVersions.csv
+++ b/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/TransportVersions.csv
@@ -135,4 +135,5 @@
 8.15.5,8702003
 8.16.0,8772001
 8.16.1,8772004
+8.16.2,8772004
 8.17.0,8797002
diff --git a/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/index/IndexVersions.csv b/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/index/IndexVersions.csv
index afe696f31d32..3bfeeded6494 100644
--- a/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/index/IndexVersions.csv
+++ b/server/src/main/resources/org/elasticsearch/index/IndexVersions.csv
@@ -135,4 +135,5 @@
 8.15.5,8512000
 8.16.0,8518000
 8.16.1,8518000
+8.16.2,8518000
 8.17.0,8521000