F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas/ Boeing F-15 Eagle is one of the world's most formidable interceptor fighters. Although largely designed in the late 1960s and early 1970s to replace the F-4 Phantom, it still remains the primary air-superiority fighter serving with the USAF, and will remain so for more than 25 years.
The F-15 Eagle has a perfect combat record of 101 victories and zero defeats. F-15s downed four Mig-29 fighters during the recent Balkan conflict and 33 of the 35 fixed-wing aircraft Iraq lost in air combat during Operation Desert Storm. During the Balkan conflict, the F-15E was the only fighter able to attack ground targets around the clock, in all weather conditions
The F-15 is a large, twin-engined aircraft with high, shoulder-mounted fixed-geometry swept wings and twin tails. It is somewhat lighter in weight than the F-4E Phantom and since it is much more powerful, it has a much more spectacular climbing performance.
For the very closest air-to-air encounters, the F-15 carries a 20-mm M61A1 cannon installed in the starboard wing leading edge lip, just outboard of the upper air intake. The gun is fed by ammunition drum containing 940 rounds located inside the central fuselage just below the hinge of the large dorsal air brake.
The F-15 can carry up to 16,000 pounds of bombs, fuel tanks, and missiles .
The underwing pylons can each accommodate a multiple ejector rack, which can carry six 500-pound bombs. The bomb racks can be installed on the underwing pylons and still the F-15 can be equipped with the normal carriage of Sidewinder missiles.
Air-to-ground stores can also be carried on the underfuselage centerline.
A typical load consists of 18 500-pound bombs, carried 6 each on underwing and centerline ejector racks.
The F-15A/B/C/D can carry and deliver laser-guided bombs such as the GBU-10E/B Paveway II or the GBU-12D/B Paveway II. However, it does not have the capability of guiding these weapons by itself, and must rely on laser designators carried by other aircraft or by personnel on the ground.
F-15E Strike Eagle
The F-15E is externally and dimensionally similar to the two-seat F-15D. However, the F-15E is internally redesigned with a stronger structure so that it can safely operate at takeoff weights as great as 81,000 pounds. The structure is cleared for 16,000 hours, double the lifetime of earlier F-15s. Space for additional avionics is provided at the expense of a slight decrease in internal fuel capacity to 2019 US gallons. The entire rear fuselage pod is manufactured from superplastic-formed and diffusion-bonded titanium, which results in a neater, lighter, and more capacious engine bay.
The F-15E is a two seat, two engine dual role fighter capable of speeds up to MACH 2.5. The F-15E performs day and night all weather air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
The front and rear cockpits have been upgraded with multi-purpose cathode ray tube displays for improved navigation, weapons delivery, and systems operations.
The pilot's cockpit has redesigned controls, a wide field of vision heads-up display, and three cathode ray tubes which provide multi-purpose displays of navigation, weapons delivery, and systems operations.
The rear-cockpit weapons system officer(WOS) can access information from the radar, electronic warfare or infrared sensors, and monitor aircraft or weapons status and possible threats. The WSO also selects targets and navigates with the aid of a moving map display.
On January 27, 1994, the Israeli government announced that they intended to purchase the F-15I, which is a version of the F-15E Strike Eagle designed specifically for Israel.
The F-15I is similar to the F-15E, but has some electronic components adjusted to meet Israeli requirements. Many of these components are to be built in Israel. A contract was signed on May 12, 1994 between the governments of the United States and Israel authorizing McDonnell Douglas to build 21 F-15Is for the IDFAF. The first examples will be delivered in 1997. In order to ensure a night-fighting capability, the F-15Is will be fitted with some of the 30 Sharpshooter targeting pods intended for Israel's F-16 fleet. Israel will then buy new LANTIRN pods to complete the F-15I's night vision suite.
Japan has purchased and produced a total of 223 air-to-air F-15 known as the F-15J, assembled in Japan from largely indigenously manufactured sub-assemblies and equipment. The Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ Eagle is the principal air superiority fighter operated by the JASDF. These differ from the F-15C/D with the deletion of sensitive ECM, radar warning, and nuclear delivery equipment.
F-15k Slam Eagle
The F-15K strike fighter is the newest variant of the combat-proven F-15E. It is equipped with the latest technological upgrades, such as the next-generation BAE Systems ALR-56C(V)1 radar warning receiver. The system to be integrated on the F-15K is an upgrade to the exisiting ALR-56C system for the F-15E. The complete integrated Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS), also includes the BAE Systems ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser System, and the ALQ-135 Internal Countermeasures System from Northrop Grumman.
The F-15K is fitted with a Raytheon AN/APG-63(v)1 radar, which was designed to replace APG-63 radars installed in early F-15 C/D models. This advanced radar incorporates the air-to-air and air-to-ground modes of the APG-70 radar, with additional sea-surface searching/tracking, ground-moving target tracking, and enhanced high-resolution ground mapping for long-distance target identification. It therefore performs much better and reportedly provides a ten-fold improvement in reliability and maintainability.
The F-15K's cockpit features five seven-color liquid-crystal displays and two upfront control panels (flat-panel). A joint helmet-mounted cueing system (JHMCS) has a projected display on the pilot's visor through which he will be able to aim the aircraft's weapons and sensors simply by looking at the target.
First flight of the F-15K took place in March 2005 and deliveries began in October 2005. The F-15K is planned to enter operational service in 2007. The Republic of Korea Air Force spent $4.2 billion for 40 F-15Ks.
F-15SG
In late 2005, Singapore signed a contract with Boeing to acquire 12 modifiedF-15E fighter aircraft, later to be referred to as F-15SG. Singapore has selected the Raytheon AN/APG-63(v)3 AESA radar, which is similar to the F15K's AN/APG-63(v)1 radar. The additional AESA technology provides nearly instantaneous track updates and enhances the multi-target tracking capability.
All 12 aircraft will be delivered in 2008-2009, and Singapore has an option for 8 more planes.
F-15E+ Super Eagle
In August 2006, Boeing announced the F-15E+ "Super Eagle" version, which it offers the US Air Force as an interim solution should the Lockheed F-35 encounter further production delays.
As the F-15SG, the proposed new F-15E+ will be equipped with the Raythen AN/APG-63(v)3 AESA radar. Other new technologies incorporated in the F-15SG and F-15K variants will also be used for the F15E+. These new technologies could also be retrofitted onto the existing F-15E fleet.
According to Boeing represenatives the Super Eagle should cost $60 million.[source]
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