McDonnell F15 Eagle

Peeping things: McDonnell F15 Eagle
Type: Air superiority hunters T

DETAILED INFORMATION

"Designed as replacement for the F-4 Phantom II in the land-based air superiority role and first flown in YF-15 prototype form on July 27, 1972, the F-15 Eagle is another type that has matured as a superb multi-role fighter. The type was planned with a large wing and a thrust/weight ratio exceeding unity for unrivalled climb rate, and from the beginning has been notable for the advanced nature of its avionics and the excellent fields of vision provided for the pilot. The first two models to enter service were the F-15A single-seater and the TF-15A (later F-15B) combat-capable tandem two-seater; both had APG-63 radar and Pratt & Whitney F-100-P-100 afterburning turbofans, and production totaled 366 and 58 respectively for the U.S. Air Force plus 19 and two respectively for the Israeli Air Force.

Delivered from June 1979, the definitive variants are the F-15C single-seat and the F-15D two-seat models with APG-70 radar (with a programmable digital signal processor, synthetic-aperture ground mapping and track-while-scan air-to-air capability), an uprated powerplant, and provision for low-drag conformal packs carrying fuel and fitted with tangential attachments for weapons. Both types remain in production for the USAF, Israel and Saudi Arabia, and are built under license in Japan by Mitsubishi."

HISTORY:
First Flight	(F-15A) 27 July 1972 (F-15B) 7 July 1973 (F-15C) 26 February 1979 (F-15D) 19 June 1979
Service Entry	(F-15A) 9 January 1976 (F-15B) 14 November 1974 (F-15C) September 1979 (F-15D) December 1979
CREW:	(F-15A/C) one: pilot (F-15B/D) two: pilot, instructor
ESTIMATED COST:	(F-15A/B) $27.9 million [1998$] (F-15C/D) $29.9 million [1998$]
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	NACA 64A(.055)5.9
Wing Tip	NACA 64A203
DIMENSIONS:
Length	63.75 ft (19.43 m)
Wingspan	42.81 ft (13.05 m)
Height	18.46 ft (5.63 m)
Wing Area	608 ft2 (56.48 m2)
Canard Area	not applicable
WEIGHTS:
Empty	28,600 lb (12,975 kg)
Normal Takeoff	(F-15A) 41,500 lb (18,885 kg) (F-15C) 44,630 lb (20,245 kg)
Max Takeoff	(F-15A) 56,000 lb (25,400 kg) (F-15C) 68,000 lb (30,845 kg)
Fuel Capacity	(F-15A) internal: 11,600 lb (5,260 kg) external: 11,895 lb (5,395 kg) (F-15C) internal: 13,455 lb (6,105 kg) external: 9,750 lb (4,425 kg)
Max Payload	(F-15A) 16,000 lb (7,260 kg) (F-15C) 16,000 lb (7,260 kg) with conformal fuel tanks (F-15C) 23,600 lb (10,705 kg) without conformal fuel tanks
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	(F-15A) two Pratt & Whitney F100-100 afterburning turbofans (F-15C) two Pratt & Whitney F100-220 afterburning turbofans
Thrust	(F-15A) 29,340 lb (130.52 kN) (F-15A) 47,660 lb (212.0 kN) with afterburner (F-15C) 29,340 lb (130.52 kN) (F-15C) 47,660 lb (212.0 kN) with afterburner
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed	at altitude: 1,665 mph (2,655 km/h) at 36,000 ft (10,975 m), Mach 2.5 at sea level: unknown cruise speed: 570 mph (915 km/h)
Initial Climb Rate	50,000 ft (15,240 m) / min
Service Ceiling	65,000 ft (19,810 m) 100,000 ft (30,840 m) [absolute ceiling]
Range	typical: 2,120 nm (3,930 km) ferry: 2,500 nm (4,630 km) without conformal fuel tanks ferry: 3,100 nm (5,745 km) with conformal fuel tanks
Endurance	5 hr 15 min with conformal fuel tanks 15 hr with in-flight refueling
g-Limits	+9 / -3
ARMAMENT:
Gun	one 20-mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon (940 rds)
Stations	seven external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile	AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, Python 3, Python 4
Air-to-Surface Missile	AGM-88 HARM
Bomb	none
Other	ECM pods
KNOWN VARIANTS:
F-15A	Production single-seat fighter; 355 built
F-15B or TF-15A	Two-seat combat-capable trainer; 57 built
F-15C	Upgraded one-seat fighter with updated avionics and conformal fuel tanks vastly improving the aircraft's range; 408 built
F-15D	Upgraded two-seat combat-capable trainer based on the F-15C; 61 built
F-15E	Two-seat multi-role fighter with ground attack capability provided by a synthetic aperture radar, LANTIRN targeting pods containing FLIR and terrain-following radar equipment, and increased weapons load; 209 built
F-15F	Proposed single-seat fighter based on the F-15E airframe incoporating the F-15E's new engines, radar, and cockpit displays, Saudi Arabia originally ordered 24 of these plus 48 two-seat combat-capable trainer models; not built
F-15/HARM or F-15/PDF	Program proposed to convert F-15C/D airframes into defense suppression aircraft carrying HARM missiles; these Precision Direction Finder aircraft would be withdrawn, modified, and reintroduced as the F-22 enters service in the air superiority role
F-15 Baaz	Surplus USAF F-15A/B and new-build F-15C/D aircraft sold to Israel; at least 63 (35 F-15A, 2 F-15B, 18 F-15C, 8 F-15D) purchased
F-15J	Japanese fighter interceptor based on the F-15C but lacking the F-15C's ECM, radar warning, and nuclear delivery equipment, many license built by Mitsubishi; 211 built
F-15DJ	Japanese two-seat combat-capable trainer model based on the F-15D; 12 built
F-15 SMTD	F-15B airframe converted as a testbed for short take-off/landing and manuever technologies including thrust vectoring, canards, and advanced pilot interfaces, 138 flights completed between 1988 and 1991; 1 converted
F-15XP	Designation originally given to the F-15F single-seat and two-seat aircraft
F-15XX	Proposed new-build F-15 with a new radar and various avionics improvements offered as a cheaper alternative to the F-22; cancelled
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:	shot down 5 Syrian MiG-21s (Israel, 1979) Iraq - Osirak nuclear reactor strike (Israel, 1981) Lebanon (Israel, 1982) shot down 2 Iranian F-4Es (Saudi Arabia, 1984) Tunisia - PLO headquarters strike (Israel, 1985) Iraq - Operation Desert Storm (USAF, Saudi Arabia, 1991) Iraq - Operation Northern Watch (USAF, 1991-2003) Iraq - Operation Southern Watch (USAF, 1991-2003) Bosnia - Operation Deliberate Force (USAF, 1995) Iraq - Operation Desert Fox (USAF, 1998) Kosovo - Operation Allied Force (USAF, 1999) US Homeland Security - Operation Noble Eagle (USAF, 2001-present) Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom (USAF, 2001-present) Iraq - Operation Iraqi Freedom (USAF, 2003-present)
KNOWN OPERATORS:	US Air Force Israel Japan Saudi Arabia
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