Strike Eagle
The F-15E Strike Eagle is one of the USAF’s
newest fighters, yet many are around 30
years old. It’s established a unique position
within the inventory as a proficient multi-
role, air-to-air and air-to-ground strike
fighter. According to 2017 figures, it has
the highest mission-capable rate of all
USAF fighters at just over 75 per cent.
With a relatively small community, the
F-15E squadrons are in high demand,
mainly due to the type’s ability to bring
a diverse selection of effects to bear.
These range from 500lb laser/GPS-guided
Joint Direct Attack Munitions to large
‘bunker-busters’ and a full suite of air-to-air
missiles. With a constant presence in the
US Central Command (CENTCOM) area
of responsibility, the F-15E has played a
key role in Operation ‘Inherent Resolve’.
Indeed, when US special operations teams
working alongside anti-regime forces
near al-Tanf in Syria came under fire from
Iranian-built Shahed 129 drones operated
by Syrian government forces in June 2017,
F-15Es in the area shot down two of the
drones, on June 8 and June 20. These were
the second and third air-to-air kills for
the Strike Eagle after a somewhat luckierAbove: An
F-15C from RAF
Lakenheath’s
493rd Fighter
Squadron at low
level on a misty
morning in Wales.
Ben Stacey
Left top to bottom:
A 159th FW,
Louisiana ANG
F-15C during trials
of new conformal
fuel tanks in
early 2018. Four
AIM-120s are
carried on the
CFTs but as yet
there are no plans
to increase the
weapons carriage
capability of USAF
jets. Boeing
This double MiG-
killer from the
493rd FS is toting
live AIM-120s and
AIM-9Xs.
Rich CooperFEATURE ARTICLE // F-15 EAGLE
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