(McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle @·AIRCRAFTUBE

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McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle

The story of the F-15 began on December 18, 1965 when the U.S. Air Force requested proposals for an air superiority fighter to replace the F-4 Phantom II. Air-to-air combat experience in Vietnam proved that agility and quick acceleration were preferable to absolute speed and the Air Force began looking for a "dogfighter" that could outrun the best Soviet fighters. On January 1, 1970, McDonnell-Douglas was awarded the F-X contract, beating out designs from Fairchild-Hiller and North American.

The first prototype was rolled out from St. Louis McDonnell-Douglas plant in on June 26, 1972 and flown one month later. Christened the F-15 Eagle, this huge fighter featured integrated system components that greatly simplified maintenance. A typical engine change could be accomplished in approximately 30 minutes, compared to the several hours it took to do the same with the older F-4.

The Eagle's airframe consisted of 26.7% titanium, 35.5% aluminium and 37.8% boron-epoxy composites. High manoeuvrability was obtained through low wing loading (56 lbs./sq. ft) and high thrust-to-weight ratio gave the Eagle tremendous acceleration. An F-15 known as the Streak Eagle shattered world time-to-climb records in a series of tests at Edwards AFB in 1975.

The multi-mission avionics system included an internally mounted tactical electronic warfare system, IFF (identification friend or foe), electronic countermeasures, a central digital computer, advanced radar and inertial navigation system. A versatile pulse-Doppler radar could look up or down at flying targets without being confused by ground clutter and could detect small high-speed targets at distances beyond visual range. An automated weapon system enabled the pilot to perform aerial combat safely and effectively, using the head-up display and the avionics and weapons controls located on the engine throttles or control stick.

The first Eagle in USAF service was a two-seat TF-15 trainer that was delivered to the 555th TFTS at Luke AFB, Arizona on November 14, 1974. F-15s served with the U.S. Air Force, several Air National Guard units, Japan and Saudi Arabia, but first saw combat in Israeli Air Force service in the 1970's. The Eagle is the only airplane that once had a perfect combat record of 101 victories and zero losses. Both fighter and F-15E attack versions saw extensive use in these operations in 1991. They were responsible for downing 33 of the 35 fixed-wing aircraft Iraq lost in air combat during Operation Desert Storm.

F-15A
The F-15A flew for the first time on 27 July 1972 and the first production aircraft was delivered to the USAF on November 14, 1974. In January 1976, the first Eagle destined for a combat squadron was delivered to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base. 365 machines were built before production of the F-15C began in 1978.

F-15B
The first flight of the two-seat F-15B (formerly TF-15A) trainer was made in July 1973. The first aircraft was delivered in November 1974 to the 58th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Even though space is sacrificed to accomodate the second crew member, the F-15B retained the same capabilities as the F-15A. The rear seat, however, was not equipped with controls for the combat avionics and weaponry and F-15B's were often flown with empty rear cockpits.

F-15C
Low-drag, conformal fuel tanks were especially developed for the F-15C and D models. Conformal fuel tanks can be attached to the sides of the engine air intake trunks under each wing and are designed to the same load factors and airspeed limits as the basic aircraft. Each conformal fuel tank contains about 114 cubic feet of usable space. AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles, moreover, can be attached to the corners of the conformal fuel tanks.

F-15E
This is a two-seat, dual-role, fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and deep interdiction missions. The digitalLearSiegler flight control system permits coupled automatic terrain following, enhanced by a ring-laser gyro inertial navigation system.
For low-altitude, high-speed penetration and precision attack on tactical targets at night or in adverse weather, the F-15E carries a high-resolution APG-70 radar and low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night pods.
During the Balkan conflict, the F-15E was the only fighter able to attack ground targets around the clock, in all weather conditions.

Introduction and early service

The largest operator of the F-15 is the United States Air Force. The first Eagle (F-15B) was delivered 13 November 1974. In January 1976, the first Eagle destined for a combat squadron, the 555th TFS, was delivered. These initial aircraft carried the Hughes Aircraft (now Raytheon) APG-63 radar.

The first F-15 kill was scored by Israeli Air Force (IAF) ace Moshe Melnik in 1979. In 1979–81, during Israeli raids against Palestinian factions based in Lebanon, F-15As downed 13 Syrian MiG-21 "Fishbeds" and two Syrian MiG-25 "Foxbats", the latter being the aircraft the F-15 was designed to kill. Israeli F-15As and Bs participated as escorts in Operation Opera and served during the 1982 Lebanon War. During the latter, Israeli F-15s shot down 40 Syrian jet fighters (23 MiG-21 "Fishbeds" and 17 MiG-23 "Floggers") and one Syrian SA.342L Gazelle helicopter. Later during 1985, IAF Eagles, in Operation Wooden Leg, bombed the PLO headquarters in Tunisia. This was one of the few times air superiority F-15s (A/B/C/D models) were used in tactical strike missions. The air to ground role for the air superiority variants became more frequently used in Israeli service starting from the opening years of the new century with the integration of GPS guided bombs.

Royal Saudi Air Force F-15C pilots shot down two Iranian Air Force F-4E Phantom IIs in a skirmish in June 1984, and shot down two Iraqi Mirage F1s during the Gulf War.

Anti-satellite trials

The ASM-135 missile was designed to be a standoff anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon, with the F-15 acting as a first stage. The Soviet Union could correlate a U.S. rocket launch with a spy satellite loss, but an F-15 carrying an ASAT would blend in among hundreds of F-15 flights. From January 1984 to September 1986, two F-15As were used as launch platforms for the ASAT missile. The F-15As were modified to carry one ASM-135 on the centerline station with extra equipment within a special centerline pylon. The launch aircraft executed a Mach 1.22, 3.8 g climb at 65° to release the ASAT missile at an altitude of 38,100 ft (11,600 m). The flight computer was updated to control the zoom-climb and missile release.

The third test flight involved a retired P78-1 solar observatory satellite in a 345-mile (555 km) orbit, which was destroyed by kinetic energy. The pilot, USAF Major Wilbert D. "Doug" Pearson, became the only pilot to destroy a satellite. The ASAT program involved five test launches. The program was officially terminated in 1988.

Gulf War and aftermath

The USAF began deploying F-15C, D and E model aircraft to the Persian Gulf region in August 1990 for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During Gulf War combat against Iraqi forces, they accounted for 36 of the 39 Air Force air-to-air victories. F-15Es were operated mainly at night, hunting modified SCUD missile launchers and artillery sites using the LANTIRN system. According to the USAF, its F-15Cs had 34 confirmed kills of Iraqi aircraft during the 1991 Gulf War, mostly by missile fire: five MiG-29 "Fulcrums", two MiG-25 "Foxbats", eight MiG-23 "Floggers", two MiG-21 "Fishbeds", two Su-25 "Frogfoots", four Su-22 "Fitters", one Su-7, six Mirage F1s, one Il-76 cargo plane, one Pilatus PC-9 trainer, and two Mi-8 helicopters. Air superiority was achieved in the first three days of the conflict; many of the later kills were reportedly of Iraqi aircraft fleeing to Iran, rather than trying to engage U.S. aircraft. The single-seat F-15C was used for air superiority, and the F-15E was heavily used in air-to-ground attacks. An F-15E achieved an aerial kill of another Iraqi Mi-8 helicopter using a laser-guided bomb during the air war. The F-15E sustained two losses to ground fire in the Gulf War in 1991. Another one was damaged on the ground by a SCUD strike on Dhahran air base.
A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 approaches a KC-135 for refueling during Operation Desert Shield.

They have since been deployed to support Operation Southern Watch, the patrolling of the No-Fly Zone in Southern Iraq; Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey; in support of NATO operations in Bosnia, and recent air expeditionary force deployments. In 1994, two U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks were mistakenly downed by USAF F-15Cs in northern Iraq in a friendly fire incident. USAF F-15Cs shot down four Yugoslav MiG-29s using AIM-120 missiles during NATO's 1999 intervention in Kosovo, Operation Allied Force.

Structural defects

All F-15 aircraft were grounded by the US Air Force after a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C came apart in flight and crashed on 2 November 2007. The newer F-15E fleet was later cleared for continued operations. The US Air Force reported on 28 November 2007 that a critical location in the upper longerons on the F-15C model was suspected of causing the failure, causing the fuselage forward of the air intakes, including the cockpit and radome, to separate from the airframe.

F-15A through D-model aircraft were ordered grounded until the location received more detailed inspections and repairs as needed. The grounding of F-15s received media attention as it began to place strains on the nation's air defense efforts. The grounding forced some states to rely on their neighboring states' fighters for air defense protection, and Alaska to depend on Canadian Forces' fighter support.

On 8 January 2008, the USAF Air Combat Command (ACC) cleared a portion of its F-15A through D-model fleet for return to flying status. It also recommended a limited return to flight for units worldwide using the affected models. The accident review board report was released on 10 January 2008. The report stated that analysis of the F-15C wreckage determined that the longeron did not meet drawing specifications, which led to fatigue cracks and finally a catastrophic failure of the remaining support structures and breakup of the aircraft in flight. In a report released on 10 January 2008, nine other F-15s were identified to have similar problems in the longeron. As a result of these problems, General John D. W. Corley stated that "the long-term future of the F-15 is in question." On 15 February 2008, ACC cleared all its grounded F-15A/B/C/D fighters for flight pending inspections, engineering reviews and any needed repairs. ACC also recommended release of other U.S. F-15A/B/C/D aircraft.

Recent service

Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30MKs, MiG-29s and other fighters achieved success in air combat exercises against U.S. Air Force (USAF) F-15Cs during "Cope India" in February 2004. The U.S. agreed not to use beyond visual range AIM-120 missiles on its fighters. During the USAF's Red Flag advanced combat training exercises in 2008, American F-15Cs, F-16Cs, and F-22s bested Indian Su-30MKIs. The Su-30s operated with their radars in training mode to keep their signals secret.

The F-15 in all air forces had a combined air-to-air combat record of 104 kills to 0 losses as of February 2008. No air superiority versions of the F-15 (A/B/C/D models) have been shot down by enemy forces. Over half of F-15 kills were achieved by Israeli Air Force pilots.

On 16 September 2009, the last F-15A, an Oregon Air National Guard aircraft, was retired marking the end of service for the F-15A and F-15B models in the United States.

With the retirement of the F-15A and B models, the F-15C and D models are being supplemented in U.S. service by the F-22 Raptor. As of 2013, Regular Air Force F-15C and F-15D fighters are based overseas with the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) at Kadena AB in Japan and with the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. Other Regular Air Force F-15s are operated by Air Combat Command as adversary/aggressor platforms at Nellis AFB, Nevada, and by Air Force Material Command in test and evaluation roles at Edwards AFB, California and Eglin AFB, Florida. All remaining combat coded F-15Cs and F-15Ds are operated by the Air National Guard.

USAF is upgrading 178 F-15C/Ds with the AN/APG-63(V)3 AESA radar, and upgrade other F-15s with the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System. The Air Force plans to keep 178 F-15C/Ds along with 224 F-15Es in service beyond 2025. The F-15E will remain in service for years to come because of the model's primary air-to-ground role and the lower number of hours on the F-15E airframes.

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Source : Article McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle of Wikipedia ( authors )

Specifications : (F-15A)

    Length : 63 ft 9 in (19.43 m).
    Height : 18 ft 8 in (5.69 m).
    Wing span : 42 ft 10 in (13.6 m).
    Gross weight : 42,206 lb (19,144 kg).
    Max Speed : 1,650 mph (1,434 kts - 2,655 km/h) at 60,000 ft (18,288 m).
    Service ceiling : 63,000 ft (19,202 m).
    Engines : Two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100 turbofans with afterburners.
    Thrust : 22,931 lbf (102.3 kN) per engine.
    Armament: One fuselage-mounted six-barrel 20mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon. Provision for up to 12000 lbs. of missiles (combination of AIM-9L/M Sidewinder, AIM-7-F/M Sparrow and AIM-120), bombs, fuel or electronics pods on nine external stations.

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