F-15E Strike Eagle
This article may be deleted soon. | ||
---|---|---|
The F-15 Strike Eagle aircraft is an advanced two-seat fighter aircraft|fighter-bomber]], complementing the F-15 Eagle]] fighter aircraft|air superiority fighter]]. Originally, the F-16 Fighting Falcon]] was seen as the only Air Force fighter-bomber of its generation, but the Strike Eagle evolved as a high-end attack aircraft. This evolution was over the objections of Air Force leaders who, perhaps emotionally, valued the air-to-air mission above all else; an informal motto for the original F-15 program was "not a pound for air to ground". AvionicsStrike Eagle avionics interconnect through the MIL-STD-1553|MIL-STD-1553B bus]], and participates in the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System]]. RadarOriginally, the Strike Eagle used the APG-70|AN/APG-70]], but the additional ground attack software of this system is reconverging with the APG-63|AN/APG-63]] series on the F-15 Eagle]], in the new AN/APG-63 V(4) version. CommunicationsIts ARC-210|AN/ARC-210 radio]] is compatible with the HAVE QUICK II]] UHF radio used in air operations and the VHF SINCGARS]] radio used by ground forces. The radio extends into the HF spectrum, and also connects to tactical satellite communications. It has embedded encryption as well as frequency agility]]. DefensiveThe aircraft has an ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser System [CMDS], is a "smart" dispenser that connects directly to infrared and radar warning receivers, release expendable and towed/retrivable decoys, as well as helping the pilot with situational awareness of the threat. Foreign operatorsIsrael uses a Strike Eagle variant specific to national needs and U.S. export controls. SuccessorFor the United States, the successor to the F-15 air superiority and probably advanced fighter bomber series is the F-22 Raptor]]. With the proposed early end of production of the F-22, with funds to be transferred to the F-35A Lightning II]], the Joint Strike Fighter should be able to replace the Strike Eagle. |