JAPAN
The F-15 replaced the Japan Air
Self Defense Force (JASDF)’s F-104J
Star ghters. The type was built under
license by Mitsubishi as the F-15J and
two-seat F-15DJ. Mitsubishi assembled
the aircraft at Komaki from kits supplied
by McDonnell Douglas, the rst making its
maiden ight in August 1981. McDonnell
Douglas built the rst 12 F-15DJs before
production switched entirely to Japan,
where Mitsubishi built 163 (including
the eight kits) F-15Js and 36 F-15DJs. This
brought the overall total to 213 aircraft,
comprising 165 F-15Js (among them the
two built in the US) and 48 F-15DJs.
A series of modest upgrades have
added the AN/APG-63(V)1 radar, Link-16
and updates to the indigenous mission
systems, plus AAM-4B and AAM-5 air-
to-air missiles — as a result, the aircraft
are sometimes referred to as F-15MJs.
Integration of a J/AAQ-2 infra-red search
and track (IRST) system was planned, but
didn’t progress past operational testing.saw the Baz formation covering a
distance of 1,280 miles to the target.
The type’s air-to-ground capability was
successfully employed again in the 2006
Second Lebanon War, the 2009 ‘Cast
Lead’ operation in Gaza, and in other
operations since then. More recently, the
Baz 2025 program includes replacement
of the aircraft’s wiring and electrical
systems and strengthening of the
airframe structure.F-15I Ra’am
In 1991 Israel purchased a derivative of
the F-15E Strike Eagle. The F-15I Ra’am
(Thunder) entered Israeli service in
January 1998. It is quali ed to launch
almost every air-to-air and air-to-ground
weapon in the Israeli Air Force arsenal.
The latest addition to the Ra’am’s avionics
and communication suite is a SATCOM
capability, which allows communications
with air force leaders at very long range.Israel operates the F-15I Ra’am within
a single unit, 69 ‘Hammers’ Squadron,
stationed at Hatzerim.
The Israeli Air Force possesses a
number of stand-o weapons for the
F-15I, including the Popeye, Rafael
SPICE, IMI Delilah, and the US-made
GBU-31 JDAM and GBU-39 Small
Diameter Bomb.
Israel has selected the Raytheon
APG-82(V)1 for an F-15I Ra’am upgrade.
The plan also involves structural
modi cations and installation of other
new systems. While Israel has settled on
the Lockheed Martin F-35, Tel Aviv has
expressed interest in acquiring further
F-15s. Any new buy would involve
versions notably more advanced than
the 25 F-15I Ra’am jets currently in
service. A rumored $3.1-billion arms
package would provide Israel with an
additional squadron of Eagles — likely a
derivative of the F-15SA.Left top to bottom:
F-15D Baz
957 from the
‘Spearhead’
Squadron
recovers to Nellis
AFB, Nevada,
in August 2015
during ‘Red Flag’.
Note the bulge
for the SATCOM
antenna behind
the cockpit.
Norman Graf
An F-15I loaded
with iron
bombs for a
demonstration at
an Israeli Air Force
pilot graduation
ceremony.
Amit Agronov
This F-15A
carries the long-
range oblique
photography
(LOROP) camera
in the Ophir
pod under the
centerline.
Amit AgronovAlthough not shown here, F-15J pilots have been
regularly seen fl ying with JHMCS since 2014. Rich CooperFEATURE ARTICLE // F-15 EAGLE
46 May 2018 //^ http://www.combataircraft.net
40-51 Eagles of the world C.indd 46 21/03/2018 10:44