Let s take a look at how the strike eagle could be getting an air to ground upgrade
known as Project Strike Rodeo
Recently the Air Force conducted a munitions proof of concept where five AGM -158 Joint
Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles or JASSMs were mounted to a single F-15E Strike Eagle.
The effort has been dubbed Project Strike Rodeo, which explores the concept of self
escorting fighters entering into highly contested airspace.
Today we will take a closer look at Project Strike Rodeo and how it could be yet another
game changer for the F-15.
Project Strike Rodeo began as a grass roots initiative back in January of 2021 when a
group of Air Force Tacticians were working through a scenario which relied on the ability
of fighters to escort bombers loaded with standoff munitions to their release point
in highly contested environments.
Rather than risk a single bomber to deploy a salvo of AGM158s, the tacticians began to
consider using a formation of fighters instead.
This would allow for distribution of mission risk, while simultaneously reducing the size
and complexity of the overall mission.
However, today the maximum number of AGM158s that can be carried by any fighter is two,
which would make the number of fighters needed that would equal one bomber s payload too
numerous, offsetting any advantage that may be gained.
Yet if there was a way for a capable fighter to carry more than two AGM158s then in theory
the concept would work.
Given its size, fuel and payload capacity the F15E Strike Eagle was the prime candidate
for this task.
Enter the 53rd wing at Eglin Air Force Base.
A small team consisting of the 53rd wing, the air force ife cycle management center,
and the 96th test wing was formed to investigate a way to mount more AGM158s on the Strike
Eagle.
The problem was that the AGM158 was designed to be loaded directly out of their shipping
containers, and as such was too large to fit under the Eagle without damaging the main
landing gear.
The team at Eglin came up with new weapon loading procedures, while also designing and
manufacturing a special loading tool that was needed to execute these procedures.
This in turn drew the interest of the F-15 System Program Office, which granted funding
to execute a load test and actually fit additional AGM158s on the Eagle.
Incredibly, in May of 2021 An F-15E at Eglin belonging to the 85th Test and Evaluation
squadron was fitted with Five AGM158s, which ismore than twice the number typically carried
by any fighter today.
Amazingly, Project Strike Rodeo went from concept to execution in just Five months.
It should be noted that this entire effort was self-started, meaning the men and women
who identified this potential solution took it upon themselves to undertake the project
without specific requirements or formal tasking from higher headquarters.
And according to Lt. Col. Mike Benitez, who is the 53rd Wing director of staff, This is
a squadron innovation effort with operational and strategic implications, Project Strike
Rodeo is all about creating options for combatant commanders, which ultimately can be used to
create multiple dilemmas for the adversary.
Now, lets take a deeper dive into why the F15E is the perfect platform for such an initiative:
Aside from its large payload, the F-15 Eagle is an excellent platform as it is the embodiment
of the air superiority fighter, having been in continuous service with the US Air Force
for nearly 50 years.
A fighter with an unprecedented 100+ to zero kill ratio, the F15 was made even better by
the introduction of the two seat long range strike fighter version known as the F15E Strike
Eagle.
Today the F15E is the most requested asset for Middle East Combat operations - the reason?
Loiter or on station time: The Strike Eagle can carry as much fuel as its empty weight.
To put that in context the F15E can carry as much fuel as the total weight of a fully
fueled F16 in the clean configuration!
Along with this, the Strike Eagle has a Weapons System officer or WSO which acts as another
brain and set of eyes in the cockpit.
The WSO has various dedicated standardized roles, for example during close air support
missions, the WSO exclusively uses the targeting pod, freeing up the pilot and minimizing the
time to kill chain.
The Strike Eagle also makes use of one of the best Active Electronically Scanned Array
or AESA radars in service.
The F15E s AN/APG-82 AESA radar represents a continuous evolution of the F15 s sensor
suite, providing unprecedented situational awareness, jamming capabilities, and range.
The F15 s large size is an asset here, allowing it to fit a much larger and more potent radar
sensor package than would be possible to fit in smaller fighters.
Additionally the Strike Eagle makes use of a built-in satellite radio, allowing it to
communicate over the horizon to critical nodes or assets.
For these reasons, a flight of F15Es, each armed with 5 AGM 158s would present a unique
challenge to a near peer adversary.
Not only can the Strike Eagles deliver the payloads at high speeds, each Eagle is capable
of prosecuting its own defensive electronic countermeasures.
Additionally, once the AGM158s are fired at standoff range which is typically outside
the range of static enemy air defenses, the Strike Eagles would then become unburdened
fighters which can compete with enemy fighters as opposed to an empty, vulnerable bomber.
And while there still are mission needs for long range high payload bombers such as the
B-52 and B-2, the tactical flexibility that a flight of Strike Eagles presents is unmatched,
as upon completing the standoff mission they could be rearmed and refueled for another
air to ground sortie or an air to air mission.
The AGM158 itself is a potent weapon.
Featuring a 1,000 pound armor piercing warhead, and low observability or stealth characteristics.
The AGM158 is powered by the Teledyne CAE J402 engine, a proven design that is also
used on the Harpoon missile.
The weapon is mounted with wings folded, which automatically deploy after launch.
Featuring an inertial navigation system with GPS updates, a built-in data link allows the
AGM158 to transmit its position in flight and also makes available improved bomb damage
assessment.
During the missiles terminal phase an infrared seeker provides thermal homing and target
recognition.
Along with the F15E strike Eagle, the AGM158 can be carried by a wide range of aircraft
including the F16, F18, F35, B1, B2, and of course the B52.
Internationally, Poland has acquired the AGM 158 for use on its F16s, while Australia and
Finland have purchased the AGM158 for use on their F/A-18s.
The AGM158 is as much a deterrent as it is an offensive weapon.
As one Finnish official put it: "JASSM is just as much a deterrent capability, as it
is a strike capability.
It makes the enemy pause and think twice about aggressive action, because it provides precision
strike of a wide range of valuable targets."
And Finally there is also an extended range version of the AGM158 which entered service
in 2014.
The concept of self escorting fighters, in this case F15E strike eagles, each armed with
up to Five AGM158s means that if one aircraft is lost in battle, the mission could still
continue.
This would not be true of a formation of fighters escorting a single bomber armed with multiple
AGM158s.
Project Strike Rodeo is another boost to the long running and legendary F-15 Eagle.
The recent F15EX or Eagle II upgrade which allows the F15 to carry some two dozen air
to air missiles is another example.
It appears the Air Force is warming up to the idea that there is still plenty of fight
left in fourth generation fighters.
And while there is still a need for fifth generation F22s and F35s it appears that today
many applications and new tactics exist for the F15E.
In fact in a scenario with F15Es launching a salvo of standoff weapons, F22s and F35s
could be used as forward armed reconnaissance, tasked with identifying and designating the
target while allowing time for the Strike Eagles to get into launch range.
With its large payload, incredibly long loiter time, high speed and surprisingly effective
agility the Eagle is still a force to be reckoned with.
Imagine a flight of F15 Eagle IIs with dozens of air to air missiles escorting a flight
of F15Es with five AGM 158s each - that is some serious firepower.
As of the recording of this video: following the static load test in May, the Air Force
plans to conduct flight tests of a Strike Eagle loaded with 5 AGM158s soon.
What do you think?
Does a flight of Strike Eagles each equipped with Five AGM 158s constitute a potential
change
in tactics?