Mcdonnel Douglas- F-15 Eagle

Quick Summary

• All-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat.
• Carries one M-61A1 20mm Vulcan Machine gun, 4 AIM-9 sidewinders on wings 4 AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles on fuesalage.
• Mach 2.5 Ceiling: 60,000 ft. Range: more than 3,565 mi with external fuel tanks.
• Two 23,760 lb thrust Pratt&Whitney F100-PW-220 afterburning turbofans.

The Eagle's air superiority is achieved through a mixture of unprecedented maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight any current or projected enemy aircraft. The F-15 has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace. Its weapons and flight control systems are designed so one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. The F-15's superior maneuverability and acceleration are achieved through high engine thrust-to-weight ratio and low wing loading. Low wing-loading (the ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a vital factor in maneuverability and, combined with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed. The F-15 in Desert storm was and still is undeafeted. The F-15's kill ratio was 26:0! The eagle can turn tightly and make abrupt manuevers that would have never been possible in its predecessors. In the war Saudi Arabia had operationg F-15's that shot down iraqi aircraft like nobodys buisness. In spite of its position the F-15 remains the most succesful air superiority fighter in service. Nearly 100 aircraft have fallen to F-15s but not one eagle has fallen in aerial combat. It is an amazing record, which the big Mcdonnel Douglas fighter will carry on well into the 21st century. The eagle is a superb short and medium range fighter. Not designed for ultra long range interception like the F-14 with its huge $2 million dollar AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. The F-15's basic armament is 4 AIM-9 Sidewinders and 4 AIM-120 AMRAAMS and not forgeting the 500 round 20mm M-61 Vulcan Machine gun. The F-15E version is the best and most current F-15 version which is the F-15C but with much added electronics for bombing missions. The aiforce currently has an inventory of 405 F-15s. The f-15 isnt a costly plane compared to its $150 million dollar replacement the F-22 (F-22 will replace the F-15 in 2005) but the F-22 will not replace the F-15E just all the other variants. Its dimensions are span: 43ft. Length: 64ft. Height: 18ft. Wing area: 608 sq. ft. The f-15 weighs a little over 67,000 pounds at max take off.