RSAF F-15SG Strike Eagle

The F-15SG (formerly the F-15T) is a variant of the F-15E, currently ordered by the RSAF after a seven-year evaluation period involving five other fighter aircraft under consideration.


The F-15SG was chosen on 6 September 2005 over the Dassault Rafale, the only remaining aircraft still in contention.

Role: Strike fighter
Manufacturer: Mcdonnell Douglas / Boeing IDS
Introduced: April 1988
Unit cost: F-15E: US$31.1 million (1998)
F-15K: US$100 million (2006)

The F-15SG is similar in configuration to the F-15K sold to South Korea, but differs in the addition of the APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar developed by Raytheon. The F-15SG will be powered by two General Electric F110-GE-129 29,400 lbf (131 kN) thrust engines.

Pending news on Lockheed Martin's F-35's progress, the RSAF has placed an order of 12 aircraft with an option for 8 more to replace its A-4SUs. The purchase is part of the New Fighter Replacement Program, worth about US$1 billion and which will be the most expensive single fighter aircraft purchase by the RSAF.

On 22 August 2005, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified US Congress about a potential Foreign military sales (FMS) of weapons, logistics and training in the event that the Boeing F-15 was selected by Singapore. Since the F-15 purchase has now been confirmed, it can be assumed that Singapore will follow up on this proposed weapons and logistics package, worth a further US$741 million if all options are exercised.

Weapons in this package include:

• 200 AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
• 6 AMRAAM Captive Air Training (CAT) Missiles
• 50 MK-82 GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM)
• 44 AN/AVS-9(V) Night Vision Goggles
• 24 Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System/Low Volume Terminals (Fighter Data Link Terminals)
• 30 AGM-154A (JSOW) Joint Standoff Weapons with BLU-111 warheads
• 30 AGM-154C (JSOW) Joint Standoff Weapons
• 200 AIM-9X SIDEWINDER Missiles
• 24 AIM-9X SIDEWINDER CAT and Dummy Missiles

The Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on 22 October 2007, exercised the option to purchase eight more F-15SG fighters which was part of the original contract signed in 2005. Along with this buy, an additional order of four F-15SGs increases total to 24 fighters on order.

F-15E Strike Eagle

The F-15E Strike Eagle is a modern American all-weather strike fighter, designed for long-range interdiction of enemy ground targets deep behind enemy lines. A derivative of the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter, the Strike Eagle proved its worth in Desert Storm, carrying out deep strikes against high-value targets, performing "Wild Weasel" (SEAD) patrols and providing close air support for coalition troops. The F-15E Strike Eagle can be distinguished from other U.S. Eagle variants by its darker camouflage and the conformal fuel tanks mounted along the engine intakes.

Development

In March 1981, the USAF announced the Enhanced Tactical Fighter program to procure a replacement for the F-111 Aardvark. The concept envisioned an aircraft capable of launching deep interdiction missions without requiring additional support by fighter escort or jamming. General Dynamics submitted the F-16XL, while McDonnell Douglas submitted a variant of the F-15 Eagle. On 24 February 1984, the USAF awarded the ETF to McDonnell Douglas's F-15E Strike Eagle.

The F-15E's first flight was on 11 December 1986. The first production model of the F-15E was delivered to the 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., in April 1988. The "Strike Eagle", as it was dubbed, received initial operational capability on 30 September 1989 at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina with the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron.

The F-15E will be upgraded with the Raytheon APG-63(V)4 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar after 2007. It combines the processor of the APG-79 used on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with the antenna of the APG-63(V)3 AESA being fitted on the F-15C. The radar upgrade is expected to begin in 2008.

While most of the F-15C/Ds are being replaced by the F-22 Raptor there is no slated replacement for the F-15E. The Strike Eagle is a more recent variant of the F-15, and has a sturdier airframe rated for twice the lifetime of earlier variants. The F-15Es are expected to remain in service past 2025. The Air Force is currently pursuing the 2018 Bomber, a medium bomber concept which could also take over the Strike Eagle's "deep strike" profile. The "A" variant of the F-35 Lightning II, which is projected to eventually replace many other attack aircraft such as the F-16 and A-10, could also take over much of the F-15E's role.

Design

The F-15E's deep strike mission is a radical departure from the original intent of the F-15, since the F-15 was designed as an air superiority fighter under the mantra "not a pound for air-to-ground." The basic airframe, however, proved versatile enough to produce a very capable strike fighter. While designed for ground attack, the F-15E retains the air-to-air lethality of the F-15, and can defend itself against enemy aircraft.

The F-15E prototype was a modification of the two-seat F-15B. Despite its origins, the F-15E includes significant structural changes and much more powerful engines. The back seat is equipped for a Weapon System Officer (WSO pronounced Wizzo), or known to some as the "guy in back" (GIB), to work the new air-to-ground avionics. The WSO uses multiple screens to display information from the radar, electronic warfare or infrared sensors, monitor aircraft or weapons status and possible threats, select targets, and use an electronic "moving map" to navigate. Two hand controls are used to select new displays and to refine targeting information. Displays can be moved from one screen to another, chosen from a "menu" of display options. Unlike earlier two-place jets (like the F-4 Phantom II and Navy's F-14 Tomcat), whose "backseater" lacked flying controls, the back seat of the F-15E cockpit is equipped with its own stick and throttle so the WSO can take over flying if necessary, albeit with reduced visibility.

To extend its range, the F-15E is fitted with two conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) that hug the fuselage, producing lower drag than conventional underwing/underbelly fuel tanks. They carry 750 U.S. gallons (2,800 liters) of fuel, and house six weapons hardpoints in two rows of three in tandem. However, unlike conventional fuel tanks, CFTs cannot be jettisoned, so increased range comes at the cost of degraded performance as a result of the additional drag and weight versus a totally "clean" configuration. Similar tanks can be mounted on the F-15C/D and export variants, and the Israeli Air Force does exercise this option on their fighter-variant F-15s as well as their F-15I variant of the Strike Eagle, but the F-15E is the only U.S. variant to be routinely fitted with CFTs.

The Strike Eagle's tactical electronic warfare system (TEWS) integrates all countermeasures on the craft: radar warning receivers (RWR), radar jammer, radar, and chaff / flare dispensers are all tied to the TEWS to provide comprehensive defense against detection and tracking. This system includes an externally mounted ALQ-131 ECM pod which is carried on the centerline pylon on an as needed basis.

An inertial navigation system uses a laser gyroscope to continuously monitor the aircraft's position and provide information to the central computer and other systems, including a digital moving map in both cockpits.

The APG-70 radar system allows air crews to detect ground targets from longer ranges. One feature of this system is that after a sweep of a target area, the crew freezes the air-to-ground map then goes back into air-to-air mode to clear for air threats. During the air-to-surface weapon delivery, the pilot is capable of detecting, targeting and engaging air-to-air targets while the WSO designates the ground target.

The low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night (LANTIRN) system, mounted externally under the engine intakes, allows the aircraft to fly at low altitudes, at night and in any weather conditions, to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided and unguided weapons. The LANTIRN system gives the F-15E exceptional accuracy in weapons delivery day or night and in poor weather, and consists of two pods attached to the exterior of the aircraft. At night, the video picture from the LANTIRN can be projected on the HUD, producing an image identical to what the pilot would see during daytime.

The navigation pod contains terrain-following radar which allows the pilot to safely fly at a very low altitude following cues displayed on a heads up display. This system also can be coupled to the aircraft's autopilot to provide "hands off" terrain-following capability. Additionally, the pod contains a forward looking infrared system which is projected on the pilot's HUD which is used during nighttime or low visibility operations. The AN/AAQ-13 Nav Pod is installed beneath the right engine intake.

The targeting pod contains a laser designator and a tracking system that mark an enemy for destruction as far away as 10 mi (16 km). Once tracking has been started, targeting information is automatically handed off to infrared air-to-surface missiles or laser-guided bombs. The targeting pod is mounted beneath the left engine intake; configurations may be either the AN/AAQ-14 Target Pod, AN/AAQ-28 LITENING Target Pod or the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Pod.

For air-to-ground missions, the F-15E can carry most weapons in the U.S. Air Force inventory. It also can be armed with AIM-9 Sidewinders, AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAMs for self-defense (though the Strike Eagle retains the counter-air capabilities from its Eagle lineage, it is rarely if ever used for counter-air missions). Like the F-15C, the Strike Eagle also carries an internally mounted General Electric M61A1 20 mm cannon which is effective against enemy aircraft and "soft" ground targets.

Specifications (F-15E)

Characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 63.8 ft (19.4 m)
• Wingspan: 42.8 ft (13.05 m)
• Height: 18.5 ft (5.63 m)
• Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 64A006.6 root, NACA 64A203 tip
• Empty weight: 31,700 lb (14,300 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 81,000 lb (36,700 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney F100-229 afterburning turbofans, 29,000 lbf (129 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,660+ km/h)
• Ferry range: 2,400 mi (2,100 nmi, 3,900 km) with conformal fuel tank and three external fuel tanks
• Serivce ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,200 m)
• Rate of climb: 50,000+ ft/min (254+ m/s)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan gatling gun, 510 rounds of either M-56 or PGU-28 ammunition
• Hardpoints: 2 wing pylons, fuselage pylons, bomb racks on CFTs with a capacity of 24,250 lb (11,000 kg) external fuel and ordnance,
• Missiles: 2 x AIM-9M Sidewinder, 2 x AIM-120 AMRAAM, and
  • Up to 4 AIM-7M Sparrow or 4 additional AIM-120 AMRAAM
  • Up to 6 AGM-65 Maverick
  • AGM-130
  • AGM-84 Harpoon
  • AGM-84K SLAM-ER
  • AGM-154 JSOW
  • AGM-158 JASSM
    
• Bombs:
  
  • B61 nuclear bomb
  • Mark 82 bomb
  • Mark 84 bomb
  • CBU-87 CEM
  • CBU-89 Gator
  • CBU-97 SFW
  • CBU-103 CEM
  • CBU-104 Gator
  • CBU-105 SFW
  • GBU-10 Paveway II
  • GBU-12 Paveway II
  • GBU-15
  • GBU-24 Paveway III
  • GBU-27 Paveway III
  • GBU-28
  • GBU-31
  • GBU-38
  • GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb