| F-15
Eagle
The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely
maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit
the US Air Force to gain and maintain air
superiority in aerial combat.
The Eagle's air superiority is achieved through
maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons
and avionics. The F-15 has electronic systems and
weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack
enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or
enemy-controlled airspace. The weapons and flight
control systems are designed so one person can
safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat.
United States Air
Force F-15 Eagle
The F-15's maneuverability and acceleration are
achieved through high engine thrust-to-weight
ratio and low wing loading. Low wing-loading (the
ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a
vital factor in maneuverability and, combined
with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the
aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed.
A multimission avionics system includes a head-up
display, advanced radar, inertial navigation
system, flight instruments, ultrahigh frequency
communications, tactical navigation system and
instrument landing system. It also has an
internally mounted, tactical electronic-warfare
system, "identification friend or foe"
system, electronic countermeasures set and a
central digital computer.
The head-up display projects through a combiner,
all essential flight information gathered by the
integrated avionics system. This display, visible
in any light condition, provides the pilot
information necessary to track and destroy an
enemy aircraft without having to look down at
cockpit instruments.
The F-15's versatile pulse-Doppler radar system
can look up at high-flying targets and down at
low-flying targets without being confused by
ground clutter. It can detect and track aircraft
and small high-speed targets at distances beyond
visual range down to close range, and at
altitudes down to treetop level. The radar feeds
target information into the central computer for
effective weapons delivery. For close-in
dogfights, the radar automatically acquires enemy
aircraft, and this information is projected on
the head-up display. The F-15's electronic
warfare system provides both threat warning and
automatic countermeasures against selected
threats.
A variety of air-to-air weaponry can be carried
by the F-15. An automated weapon system enables
the pilot to perform aerial combat safely and
effectively, using the head-up display and the
avionics and weapons controls located on the
engine throttles or control stick. When the pilot
changes from one weapon system to another, visual
guidance for the required weapon automatically
appears on the head-up display.
The Eagle can be armed with combinations of four
different air-to-air weapons: AIM-7F/M Sparrow
missiles or AIM-120 AMRAAM advanced medium range
air-to-air missiles on its lower fuselage
corners, AIM-9L/M Sidewinder or AIM-120 missiles
on two pylons under the wings, and an internal
20mm Gatling gun in the right wing root.
Low-drag, conformal fuel tanks were especially
developed for the F-15C and D models. Conformal
fuel tanks can be attached to the sides of the
engine air intake trunks under each wing and are
designed to the same load factors and airspeed
limits as the basic aircraft. Each conformal fuel
tank contains about 114 cubic feet of usable
space. These tanks reduce the need for in-flight
refueling on global missions and increase time in
the combat area. All external stations for
munitions remain available with the tanks in use.
AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles, moreover, can be
attached to the corners of the conformal fuel
tanks.
The F-15E is a two-seat, dual-role, totally
integrated fighter for all-weather, air-to-air
and deep interdiction missions. The rear cockpit
is upgraded to include four multi-purpose CRT
displays for aircraft systems and weapons
management. The digital, triple-redundant Lear
Siegler flight control system permits coupled
automatic terrain following, enhanced by a
ring-laser gyro inertial navigation system.
For low-altitude, high-speed penetration and
precision attack on tactical targets at night or
in adverse weather, the F-15E carries a
high-resolution APG-70 radar and low-altitude
navigation and targeting infrared for night pods.
The first F-15A flight was made in July 1972, and
the first flight of the two-seat F-15B (formerly
TF-15A) trainer was made in July 1973. The first
Eagle (F-15B) was delivered in November 1974. In
January 1976, the first Eagle destined for a
combat squadron was delivered.
The single-seat F-15C and two-seat F-15D models
entered the Air Force inventory beginning in
1979. These new models have Production Eagle
Package (PEP 2000) improvements, including 2,000
pounds (900 kilograms) of additional internal
fuel, provision for carrying exterior conformal
fuel tanks and increased maximum takeoff weight
of up to 68,000 pounds (30,600 kilograms).
The F-15 Multistage Improvement Program was
initiated in February 1983, with the first
production MSIP F-15C produced in 1985.
Improvements included an upgraded central
computer; a Programmable Armament Control Set,
allowing for advanced versions of the AIM-7,
AIM-9, and AIM-120A missiles; and an expanded
Tactical Electronic Warfare System that provides
improvements to the ALR-56C radar warning
receiver and ALQ-135 countermeasure set. The
final 43 included a Hughes APG-70 radar.
F-15C, D and E models were deployed to the
Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation
Desert Storm where they proved their superior
combat capability with a confirmed 26:0 kill
ratio. F-15 fighters accounted for 36 of the 39
Air Force air-to-air victories. F-15Es were
operated mainly at night, hunting SCUD missile
launchers and artillery sites using the LANTIRN
system.
They have since been deployed to support
Operation Southern Watch, the patrolling of the
No-Fly Zone in Southern Iraq; Operation Provide
Comfort in Turkey; in support of NATO operations
in Bosnia, and recent air expeditionary force
deployments.
General Characteristics
Primary function: Tactical fighter
Contractor: McDonnell Douglas Corporation
Power plant: Two Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-220 or
229 turbofan engines with afterburners
Thrust: (C/D models) 23,450 pounds each engine
Wing span: 42.8 feet (13 meters)
Length: 63.8 feet (19.44 meters)
Height: 18.5 feet (5.6 meters)
Speed: 1,875 mph (Mach 2.5 plus)
Maximum takeoff weight: (C/D models) 68,000
pounds (30,844 kilograms)
Ceiling: 65,000 feet (19,812 meters)
Range: 3,450 miles (3,000 nautical miles) ferry
range with conformal fuel tanks and three
external fuel tanks
Crew: F-15A/C: one; F-15B/D/E: two
Armament: One internally mounted M61 Vulcan 20mm
six-barrel cannon with 940 rounds of ammunition;
four AIM-9L/M Sidewinder and four AIM-7F/M
Sparrow air-to-air missiles, or eight AIM-120
AMRAAMs, carried externally. F-15E can carry any
combination of the above missiles, as well as
GBU16/27/28 Laser Guibed Bombs (LGBs), GBU-15
EO-guided (Electro-Optically guided, i.e. TV
guided) glide bombs, and rocket powered versions
of these (AGM-130), laser guided AGM-65 Maverick
Air-to Ground Missiles, Rockeye and CBU-49
Cluster Bombs, Fuel Air Explosives, 'Dumb bombs'
)or 'Iron bombs', i.e. unguided bombs), and
(although this is unlikely to be required) B61
nuclear bombs.
Unit Cost: A/B models - US$30.1 million; C/D
models - US$34.3 million (flyaway costs)
Date deployed: July 1972
Inventory (USAF): Active force, 396; Reserve, 0;
ANG, 126.
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