McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle

The F-15E is a fighter-bomber aircraft designed to replace the F-111 Aardvark as the USAF's strike fighter (another name for fighter-bomber). It's was developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. It is a major derivative of the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter. United States Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles can be distinguished from other U.S. Eagle variants by darker camouflage and conformal fuel tanks mounted along the engine intakes.

The Strike Eagle has been deployed in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force and Operation Odyssey Dawn carrying out deep strikes against high-value targets, combat air patrols, and providing close air support for coalition troops. It has also seen action in later conflicts and has been exported to several countries.

The plans for a ground attack Eagle were formed ever since testing began of the original F-15A Eagle. However, it was abandoned in 1975, primarily due to increasing costs. It was revived in 1982 when trials began with an modified F-15B. The production model first flew December 11, 1986, after it was chosen over its competitor, the F-16XL. The F-15's cockpit is state-of-the-art and the pilot has a wide angle Heads-Up Display as well as 3 Multi-Function Displays, while the Weapons Systems Operator (in the back seat) has 4 MFD's. The F-15E is based off of the F-15C Eagle air superiority fighter. The Strike Eagle acquired air-to-ground capability, while retaining the F-15C's outstanding air-to-air capability. The disadvantage that the F-15E had to the F-111F, which it was criticized for in it's early life, was the fact that the F-15E didn't have the internal range (2,994 miles in the F-111F to 2,100 miles in the F-15E) nor the weapons payload capability (31,302 lbs to 24,471 lbs) as the Aardvark. However, despite these shortcomings, the F-15E is one of the most powerful aircraft in the U.S. arsenal. Strike Eagles were used in other countries, including Israel (F-15I Ra'am, which means "Thunder"), South Korea (F-15K Slam Eagle), Saudi Arabia (F-15S),and Singapore (F-15SG, formerly F-15T). The aircraft is planned to stay in service until 2025. It will eventually be supplemented with 5th generation multirole fighters, like the F-35.

Specifications:
General characteristics:

• Crew: 2
• Length: 63.8 ft (19.43 m)
• Wingspan: 42.8 ft (13.05 m)
• Height: 18.5 ft (5.63 m)
• Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 64A006.6 root, NACA 64A203 tip
• Empty weight: 31,700 lb (14,300 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 81,000 lb (36,700 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F100-229 afterburning turbofans, 29,000 lbf (129 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,660+ km/h)
• Ferry range: 2,400 mi (2,100 nmi, 3,900 km) with conformal fuel tank and three external fuel tanks
• Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,200 m)
• Rate of climb: 50,000+ ft/min (254+ m/s)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon, 510 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
• Missiles:
  
  
  • Air-to-air missiles: 4× AIM-9M Sidewinder or 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM, and 4× AIM-7M Sparrow or additional 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM
  • Air-to-surface missiles: 6× AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-130, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-84K SLAM-ER, AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSM
• Bombs:
  
  
  • B61 nuclear bomb, 
  • Mark 82 bomb, 
  • Mark 84 bomb, 
  • Combined Effects Munition, 
  • CBU-89 Gator, 
  • CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon,
  • CBU-103 CEM, 
  • CBU-104 Gator, 
  • CBU-105 SFW, 
  • CBU-107 Passive Attack Weapon, 
  • BU-10 Paveway II, 
  • GBU-12 Paveway II, 
  • GBU-15, 
  • GBU-24 Paveway III, 
  • GBU-27 Paveway III, 
  • GBU-28, GBU-31 JDAM, 
  • GBU-38 JDAM, 
  • GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, 
  • GBU-51 Paveway II, 
  • GBU-54 Laser JDAM