Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15E Eagle

Type (Muster)
Multi-role fighter optimised for attack missions but retaining excellent air superiority capabilities

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Boeing (McDonnell Aircraft and Missiles Systems)
PO Box 516
St. Louis, Missouri 63166-0516

Phone: 001-314/232-0232
Fax: 001-314/234-3826

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2

Weapons (Bewaffnung):
The F-15E carries an internal M61A1 six-barrel cannon with 512 rounds. On two wing stations, a central pylon under the fuselage and up to twelve tangential carriage points on its conformal fuel tanks (besides the intakes), it can carry 11110 kg (24500 lbs) of air-to air and air-to ground weapons. Included are (theoretical maximum each):

4 x AIM-9 Sidewinder
4 x AIM-7 Sparrow
4-8 x AIM-120 AMRAAM
26 x Mk.82 bombs
7 x Mk.84 bombs
15 x GBU-12
7 x GBU-10 Paveway II
6 x AGM-65 Maverick
2 x GBU-15 (900 kg Bombe)
5 x GBU-24 Paveway III
2 x GBU-28
5 x B61 (taktische Atombombe)
AGM-88 HARM
12 x CBU-87
26 x Mk.20 Rockeye
AGM-130

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 turbofans, fitted from aircraft number 135 built in 1991
Thrust (Schub): 2 x 129,4 kN (29100 lbs) maximum with reheat (mit Nachbrenner)

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 19,43 m
Heigth (Höhe): 5,63 m
Span (Spannweite): 13,05 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 55,5 sq m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): 14515 kg
Fuel, internal (Kraftstoff, intern - inklusive CFTs): 13117 l
Max. weapons load (Waffenlast): 11110 kg
Max. take-off weigth (Max. Startmasse): 36740 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (max. Fluggeschwindigkeit): Mach 2.5
Max. combat radius (max. Einsatzradius): 1270 km
Max. Range (Reichweite): 4445 km (2400 NM)

Customers (Kunden)

US Air Force: 219 (200 ordered until 1991 plus small additional batches in 91, 92, 96 and 1997 defense budgets)
Israel: 25 (designated F-15I; first flight 12. September 1997, delivery from January 1998)
Saudi Arabia: 72 (designated F-15S; delivery from end of 1995)

Costs (Kosten)
Fly-away quoted as 35 million US-Dollars, but real cost probably around 55 million US-Dollars for USAF and close to 100 million US-Dollars (including spares and support) for export customers.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Suchoi Su-27/Su-35

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The F-15E is the multi-role variant of the Eagle, featuring extensive internal structural modifications to cope with the increased all-up weights. Two seats are standard in a cockpit that is dominated by new CRT colour displays. Main sensor is the Hughes APG-70 radar which offers extremely accurate ground mapping functions in addition to its air-to-air modes. Also fitted are LANTIRN targeting and navigation pods with FLIR, terrain-following radar and laser sensors, permitting around-the clock operations at low levels.
McDonnell Douglas and Hughes first conducted private venture work on a "strike" version of the Eagle in the early eighties, including flight tests with a modified F-15B which carried hefty external bomb loads. After beating off the rival General Dynamics F-16XL proposal, a formal programme go-ahead was announced by the US Air Force on February 24, 1984. The first production F-15E flew on 11. December 1986 and deliveries to Luke AFB began in April 1988. The 4th Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB was the first operational unit to get F-15Es in December 1988.
The F-15Es took part in the Gulf War, although they were hardly operational then and still lacked complete LANTIRN equipment. Production for the USAF was completed in July 1994, but will resume in November 1998 with attrition replacement aircraft.
After months of intense lobbying to secure jobs, the Bush administration in the autumn of 1992 allowed the sale of the F-15E to Saudi Arabia. A formal contract for 72 aircraft, now designated F-15S, was signed on 10. May 1993. The value of the deal for the aircraft itself was put at five billion US-Dollars (70 million per plane), plus weapons, infrastructure etc., for a total of nine billion. Fabrication of F-15S began in October 1993, and the first flight was on June 19, 1995. An officail roll-out ceremony was held on September 12, 1995, before deliveries to the Saudis (via USAF) began.
In the meantime, Israel was also allowed to procure the E-Eagle, this time designated F-15I Thunder. After announcing the selection in January 1994, the contract, worth two billion US-Dollars, was signed in May of that year. It included 21 aircraft, but an option on four more was exercised in November 1995. The first F-15I made its maiden flight on September 12, 1997, with Joe Felock and weapons systems operator Major Rick Junkin at the controls.

Last updated October 24, 1997

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