F-15 Eagle

Boeing's F-15 program was requested by the US Air Force, which required a fighter jet designed to maintain the country's air superiority. The F-15 Eagle has now been the primary fighter jet aircraft and intercept platform for decades.

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F-15C arrival alleviates training burden on Seymour Johnson F-15Es

The USAF’s 4th FW – based at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina – has received a single F-15C Eagle from Nellis AFB, Nevada, to help alleviate the training burden on its fleet of F-15E Strike Eagle multi-role fighters

The F-15ID is based on the Advanced F-15 illustrated here in multirole configuration. Ron Bookout/Boeing News Premium

Indonesia receives approval to buy F-15s

The US Government has cleared the way for Boeing to sell Indonesia F-15s. This follows hot on the heels of the news yesterday (February 10) that Indonesia is to buy Dassault Rafales.

The recently unveiled specially marked F-15C of the 493rd FS, note the unit’s air-to-air kills painted on the air brake. Key-Jamie Ewan News Premium

Special markings highlight impending end of Eagle ops for ‘Grim Reapers’

The 48th Fighter Wing’s 493rd Fighter Squadron has specially painted one of its F-15Cs to mark the end of its operations with the Eagle

First operational test mission for the F-15EX

Full, large scale operational tests with the US Air Force’s first two Boeing F-15EX Eagle IIs recently got underway at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The 57th Wing at Nellis announced on October 22 that the new type’s first-ever operational test missions were being undertaken at Nellis from October 18-25, paired with F-15Cs and F-15Es

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F-117As conduct DACT training with 144th FW F-15s

Two Lockheed F-117A Nighthawks arrived at Fresno-Yosemite International Airport in California on September 13 to perform dissimilar air combat training (DACT) operations with Boeing F-15C/D Eagles assigned to the 144th FW

USAF F-15C of the 493rd Fighter Squadron. News Premium

493rd FS deploys to RAF Leeming for Agile Liberty 21-2

The USAF’s 493rd Fighter Squadron ‘The Grim Reapers’ – a component of the 48th Fighter Wing – has deployed to RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire to participate in Exercise Agile Liberty 21-2

85th TES F-15C fires first IRST-cued AMRAAM

The USAF’s 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, has conducted the first-ever live fire of an AIM-120 AMRAAM from a Boeing F-15C Eagle using an IRST system

Raytheon awarded F-15 Eagle radar contract

Raytheon has been awarded a multi-billion-dollar contract for the production, modernisation and delivery of the APG-82 radar system for the F-15 Eagle multi-role strike fighter

USAF officially names the F-15EX

The US Air Force’s (USAF’s) newest multi-role fighter and latest incarnation of the Boeing F-15 Eagle family, the F-15EX, will be officially known as the ‘Eagle II’ in operational service

USAF accepts its first F-15EX

The USAF formally accepted its first F-15EX at Boeing’s facility in St Louis, Missouri, on March 10 – just over a month after the multi-role fighter graced the skies for the first time

 

F-15 Eagle Development

McDonnell Douglas was awarded the F-15 contract on December 23, 1969, for the development phase which involved building 20 aircraft initially. On June 26, 1972, the F-15 made its ceremonial debut at McDonnell Douglas' St Louis plant located on the same airfield as the city’s airport. Christened the Eagle, the F-15's next milestone – the first flight – occurred on July 27 when Irving Burrows of McDonnell Douglas piloted the fighter on a 50min maiden flight over Edwards AFB, California. This event also launched the F-15's flight-test programme which took place at three locations – Edwards, Eglin AFB, Florida, and the McDonnell Douglas facility at St Louis airport.

NASA supported the F-15 flight-test programme by evaluating three-eighths scale models of remotely piloted research vehicles (RPRVs). The aluminium and fibreglass RPRV's, 23.8ft long with 16ft wingspans and weighing 2,000lb, were dropped from B-52 aircraft at 45,000ft. These trials provided invaluable data that enhanced the safety of the full-scale tests later.

The two-seat F-15B first took to the air on July 7, 1973. McDonnell Douglas built 384 single-seat F-15A aircraft between 1972 and 1979, and 61 two-seat F-15Bs during the same period. Customers for both variants were the Israeli Air Force and the US Air Force.

The F-15C made its maiden flight on February 26, 1979, followed by the two-seat F-15D on June 19, that same year. There were 483 single-seat F-15Cs manufactured between 1979 and 1985, and 92 two-seat F-15Ds during the same period. Aircraft were built for the Israeli Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Force, and the US Air Force.

Japanese Variant

In the 1980s, Japan built F-15s under licence from McDonnell Douglas and they are currently operated by seven operational squadrons, a training squadron, and a dedicated aggressor unit. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ F-15J Eagle is the primary interceptor in service with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

The first F-15J was handed over to the JASDF in St Louis in July 1980. The initial two F-15Js and the first 12 F-15DJ aircraft were built in St Louis and flown to Japan. Ten F-15Js and eight F-15DJs were then supplied as kits and assembled by MHI at Komaki, while the remaining 153 F-15Js and 28 F-15DJs were pieced together by MHI with Japanese-produced components. The final F-15J was rolled-out at Komaki on November 4, 1998, followed by the last F-15DJ on October 25, 1999.