SC Tiger Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Looks like the Air Force has decided it needs a new bomb truck. So they are getting the brand new (drumroll please) F-15!!!! https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a30705691/f-15ex/ The AF is buying two (total purchase to be 72) F-15EX planes to serve as "bomb and missle trucks" along side the F-35. Apparently a shortcoming of the F22 and F35 is that they just cannot carry enough missiles. The F35 can only carry 4 AAMRAM missiles (I assume). Not sure if that is an either/or with Sidewinders. The F15EX? 22 total AMRAMM and Sidewinder. But no hook AFAIK. Sorry, Tous. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minervadoe Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Quote The F-15EX features all the latest technology, integration already paid for by foreign clients, plus the ability to carry 22 AIM-9X Sidewinder and AMRAAM medium range air-to-air missiles. Air Force Magazine reports other improvements include a “substantially more powerful mission computer, new cockpit displays, a digital backbone, and the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS)—an electronic warfare and threat identification system.” The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, on the other hand, can only carry four AMRAAM missiles in an internal weapons bay, a result of its need to fly without missiles and other equipment hanging off its wings to preserve its anti-radar stealth profile. The F-15 doesn’t have any internal bays but has lots of missile racks. The F-35 and F-15EX will likely fly in pairs, with the F-35 quietly detecting enemy fighters while the F-15EX services them with air-to-air missiles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 Wow....22...talk about dominating. That is one hell of a death delivering machine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
railfancwb Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 48 minutes ago, SC Tiger said: Looks like the Air Force has decided it needs a new bomb truck. So they are getting the brand new (drumroll please) F-15!!!! https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a30705691/f-15ex/ The AF is buying two (total purchase to be 72) F-15EX planes to serve as "bomb and missle trucks" along side the F-35. Apparently a shortcoming of the F22 and F35 is that they just cannot carry enough missiles. The F35 can only carry 4 AAMRAM missiles (I assume). Not sure if that is an either/or with Sidewinders. The F15EX? 22 total AMRAMM and Sidewinder. But no hook AFAIK. Sorry, Tous. Isn’t the base F-15 pretty old technology? Has/Will production line be started to build these from ground up, or will existing ones be refurbished? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) 17 minutes ago, railfancwb said: Isn’t the base F-15 pretty old technology? Has/Will production line be started to build these from ground up, or will existing ones be refurbished? Boeing/McDouglas (?) still makes them for a few foreign markets. And they have updated them along and along. I think they even have LCD screens now! Probably beats the hell out of playing that favorite game of "Where in the hell is my altimeter?" 41 minutes ago, Historian said: Wow....22...talk about dominating. That is one hell of a death delivering machine. I'm guessing it will be something like the F35 engages them and the F15 shoots them or something. Because with 22 missles on the racks the F15 is gonna have trouble maneuvering I expect. Edited January 30, 2020 by SC Tiger 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 37 minutes ago, railfancwb said: Isn’t the base F-15 pretty old technology? Has/Will production line be started to build these from ground up, or will existing ones be refurbished? Air frames get updated often. The electrical stuff gets updated. The B52s we have flying today are well over 40 and 50 years old. They just keep replacing parts. As for trouble maneuvering....it will be easier when you shoot off about 6 of those missiles. ? This plane is a hunter killer with the ability to deliver massive amounts of power on a target. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenoF250 Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) When was the last time a US plane was in a dogfight and had to maneuver? Besides AARAMs are beyond visual range, you let the missile do the maneuvering. Also: The F-35 and F-15EX will likely fly in pairs, with the F-35 quietly detecting enemy fighters while the F-15EX services them with air-to-air missiles. "Services them" Nice Edited January 30, 2020 by RenoF250 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 I would guess that the F 22 / 35 is to protect the F 15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Historian Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 2 hours ago, RenoF250 said: When was the last time a US plane was in a dogfight and had to maneuver? Besides AARAMs are beyond visual range, you let the missile do the maneuvering. Also: The F-35 and F-15EX will likely fly in pairs, with the F-35 quietly detecting enemy fighters while the F-15EX services them with air-to-air missiles. "Services them" Nice 2017 an F18 shot down an SU-22 in Syria. Prior to that...the first Gulf War... At least for the US. There's still a lot of positioning required to get into a firing position. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tadbart Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 6 hours ago, SC Tiger said: Boeing/McDouglas (?) still makes them for a few foreign markets. And they have updated them along and along. I think they even have LCD screens now! Probably beats the hell out of playing that favorite game of "Where in the hell is my altimeter?" I'm guessing it will be something like the F35 engages them and the F15 shoots them or something. Because with 22 missles on the racks the F15 is gonna have trouble maneuvering I expect. More likely, those two computers will talk to each other, and the 35 will paint the targets, while the 15 pulls the trigger. This can most likely happen from a great standoff distance. If I recall correctly, the 15 is no slouch, and really, really fast. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 (edited) 35 minutes ago, tadbart said: More likely, those two computers will talk to each other, and the 35 will paint the targets, while the 15 pulls the trigger. This can most likely happen from a great standoff distance. If I recall correctly, the 15 is no slouch, and really, really fast. Of course it is. It's a fine, McDonnell Douglas product. NB the last I knew, the F-15 line is still in production. And, no. They won't use the same engines as the F-35. The F-15 uses the venerable Pratt and Whitney F100 (around 24,000 pounds of thrust -- but there are two of them), the F-35 the purpose-built Pratt and Whitney F135 (around 40,000 pounds of thrust,) If I disclose anything else, I'll have to hunt you all down and -- you know. Edited January 30, 2020 by tous 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 15 hours ago, tous said: Of course it is. It's a fine, McDonnell Douglas product. NB the last I knew, the F-15 line is still in production. And, no. They won't use the same engines as the F-35. The F-15 uses the venerable Pratt and Whitney F100 (around 24,000 pounds of thrust -- but there are two of them), the F-35 the purpose-built Pratt and Whitney F135 (around 40,000 pounds of thrust, Actually, that's not 100% true anymore. The F15 Advanced Eagle has GE engines. And Fly-By-Wire. From Wikipedia: F-15 Advanced Eagle[edit] The F-15 Advanced Eagle variant is an upgrade over previous models in that it features two additional underwing weapons hardpoints (increasing the number from nine to eleven); the option of a large area display cockpit; fly-by-wire controls; the Raytheon AN/APG-82(V)1 or AN/APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar; General Electric General Electric F110-129 engines; digital Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems in both cockpits; and a digital electronic warfare system among other enhancements. In a typical escort configuration, the Advanced Eagle can carry 16 AIM-120 AMRAAM; four AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range missiles; and two AGM-88 HARMs. For precision strike it can carry 16 Small-Diameter Bombs (SDBs); four AMRAAMs; one 2,000 lb Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM); two HARMs; and two fuel drop tanks.[148] This is what the AF is looking into buying though: F-15X/EX[edit] In July 2018, it was reported that the USAF and Boeing have been discussing a proposed F-15X, a single-seat F-15E variant based on the F-15QA that would replace F-15C/Ds in USAF service. Improvements includes the AMBER weapons rack to carry up to 22 air-to-air missiles, infra-red search and track, advanced avionics and electronics warfare equipment, AESA radar, and revised structure with a service life of 20,000 hours.[155][156] In December 2018, it was reported that United States Department of Defense was planning to request $1.2 billion for 12 F-15Xs in its FY 2020 budget.[157] In the Budget released on 12 March 2019, the Department of Defense requested US$1.1 billion to procure eight F-15EX fighters of a total planned procurement of 144 F-15EXs.[158][159] I dunno if the X/EX will have the F15 Advanced stuff in it as well or not. 15 hours ago, tous said: If I disclose anything else, I'll have to hunt you all down and -- you know. Use your slide rule on us? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batesmotel Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Keep em coming. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 My information is out of date. Thanks for the correction, amigo. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 1 hour ago, tous said: My information is out of date. Thanks for the correction, amigo. But your slide rule is state-of-the-art. No problem. I didn't know it either until I read it. I thought maybe they tried to cram the F22's engines in there. I know they tried it on the F16 - or were thinking about it anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 Again, my information is out of date, but the Pratt and Whitney F135 is purpose-built for the F-35 program and likely isn't all that adaptable to another platform. I am happy to see the F-15 project continue, evolve and improve. It is a great aircraft. Just needs a hook. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted January 31, 2020 Author Share Posted January 31, 2020 17 minutes ago, tous said: Again, my information is out of date, but the Pratt and Whitney F135 is purpose-built for the F-35 program and likely isn't all that adaptable to another platform. I am happy to see the F-15 project continue, evolve and improve. It is a great aircraft. Just needs a hook. I've got a big hammer and a slide rule. I'll make it fit. Fly - well that's another story....... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tous Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 HTF:PTM Hammer to Fit:Paint to Match. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janice6 Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 2 hours ago, ASH said: Local airport down the road had a "well to do" resident selling old cheap jet fighters. It was cool to see a foreign jet fighter coming low over the houses in a landing pattern. (IIRC he bought three) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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