The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole
strike fighter designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on
escort or electronic-warfare aircraft.
Interesting facts The F-15 made its first flight nearly 43 years
ago, on July 27th, 1972.
It's one of the most successful modern-era fighters, with over 100 aerial combat victories.It's
also had 0 aerial combat losses, giving it a perfect record.
The Eagle can be armed with combinations of four different air-to-air weapons: AIM-7F/M
Sparrow missiles or AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles on its lower fuselage corners, AIM-9L/M Sidewinder
or AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles on two pylons under the wings, and an internal M61 Vulcan 20 millimeter
(0.79 in) Gatling gun in the right wing root.
Design The F-15E prototype was a modification of
the two-seat F-15B.
The F-15E, despite its origins, includes significant structural changes and much more powerful
engines.
The aft fuselage was designed to incorporate the more powerful engines with advanced engine
bay structures and doors.
The advanced structures utilized Superplastic forming and diffusion bonding technologies.
The back seat is equipped for a weapon systems officer to work the new air-to-ground avionics.
The WSO uses multiple screens to display information from the radar, electronic warfare, or Thermographic
cameras, monitor aircraft or weapons status and possible threats, select targets, and
use an electronic moving map to navigate.
Two hand controls are used to select new displays and to refine targeting information.
Displays can be moved from one screen to another, chosen from a menu of display options.
Unlike earlier two-place jets, whose back seat lacked flying controls, the back seat
of the F-15E cockpit is equipped with its own stick and throttle so the WSO can take
over flying, albeit with reduced visibility.
To extend its range, the F-15E is fitted with two conformal fuel tanks, that hug the fuselage.
These produce lower drag than conventional underwing/underbelly drop tanks.
They carry 2,800 liters of fuel, and house six weapons hardpoints in two rows of three
in tandem.
The Strike Eagle's tactical electronic warfare system (TEWS) integrates all countermeasures
on the craft: radar warning receivers radar jammer, radar, and chaff/flare dispensers
are all tied to the TEWS to provide comprehensive defense against detection and tracking.
This system includes an externally mounted ALQ-131 ECM pod, which is carried on the centerline
pylon when required.
Specifications (F-15E) Crew: 2 (Pilot and weapon systems officer)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 or −229 afterburning turbofans
Performance Maximum speed: 3,017 km/h
Combat radius: 1,270 km Ferry range: 3,900 km with conformal fuel
tank and three external fuel tanks Service ceiling: 18,200 m
Rate of climb: 254+ m/s
Armament Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled
Gatling cannon, 500 rounds of either M-56 or PGU-28 ammunition
Hardpoints: 2 wing pylons, fuselage pylons, bomb racks on CFTs with a capacity of 23,000
lb (10,400 kg) of external fuel and ordnance.