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88-528: The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle . The aircraft resulted from the U.S. Department of Defense's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (OSD CAPE) study in 2018 to recapitalize the aging F-15C/D fleet due to inadequate numbers of F-22s , delays in the F-35 program, and maintaining diversity in

176-588: A Royal Thai Air Force source stated that the United States Department of Defense implied it will turn down Thailand's bid to buy F-35As, and instead offer F-16 Block 70 and F-15EX Eagle II fighters. Data from Air and Space Forces Magazine, General Electric General characteristics Performance Armament Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Multirole combat aircraft A multirole combat aircraft ( MRCA )

264-671: A combination of any of those three warhead types) is typically used in the attempt to disable or destroy the target aircraft. Warheads are typically detonated by a proximity fuze or by an impact fuze if it scores a direct hit. Less commonly, nuclear warheads have been mounted on a small number of air-to-air missile types (such as the AIM-26 Falcon ) although these are not known to have ever been used in combat. Guided missiles operate by detecting their target (usually by either radar or infrared methods, although rarely others such as laser guidance or optical tracking ), and then "homing" in on

352-451: A cone shape as the distance from the attacking aircraft increases. This will result in less accuracy for the missile because the beam may actually be larger than the target aircraft when the missile arrives. The missile could be securely within the beam but still not be close enough to destroy the target. Infrared guided (IR) missiles home on the heat produced by an aircraft. Early infra-red detectors had poor sensitivity, so could only track

440-457: A few. The first use of the term was by the multinational European project named Multi-Role Combat Aircraft , which was formed in 1968 to produce an aircraft capable of tactical strike , aerial reconnaissance , air defense , and maritime roles. The design was aimed to replace a multitude of different types in the cooperating air forces. The project produced the Panavia Tornado , which used

528-576: A lighter bomb load compared to contemporaries like the Rafale, which sacrifices air-to-air ability for a heavier payload. Some aircraft, like the Saab JAS 39 Gripen , are called swing-role , to emphasize the ability of a quick role change, either at short notice, or even within the same mission. According to the Military Dictionary: "the ability to employ a multi-role aircraft for multiple purposes during

616-605: A more powerful motor that allows the missile to maneuver against crossing targets and launch at greater ranges, gives the launching aircraft improved tactical freedom. Other members of the 4th generation use focal plane arrays to offer greatly improved scanning and countermeasures resistance (especially against flares). These missiles are also much more agile, some by employing thrust vectoring (typically gimballed thrust ). The latest generation of short-range missiles again defined by advances in seeker technologies, this time electro-optical imaging infrared (IIR) seekers that allow

704-576: A narrow (30-degree) field of view and required the attacker to position himself behind the target ( rear aspect engagement ). This meant that the target aircraft only had to perform a slight turn to move outside the missile seeker's field of view and cause the missile to lose track of the target ("break lock"). The second-generation of short-range missiles utilized more effective seekers that were better cooled than its predecessors while being typically "uncaged"; resulting in improved sensitivity to heat signatures, an increase in field of view as well as allowing

792-411: A rocket of some type and the control actuation system or CAS. Dual-thrust solid-fuel rockets are common, but some longer-range missiles use liquid-fuel motors that can "throttle" to extend their range and preserve fuel for energy-intensive final maneuvering. Some solid-fuelled missiles mimic this technique with a second rocket motor which burns during the terminal homing phase. There are missiles, such as

880-545: A secondary role like air-to-surface attack . However, those designed with an emphasis on aerial combat are usually regarded as air superiority fighters and usually deployed solely in that role, even though they are theoretically capable of ground attack. The Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale are classified as multirole fighters; however the Typhoon is frequently considered an air superiority fighter due to its higher dogfighting prowess while its built-in strike capability has

968-407: A specified range. Towed decoys which closely mimic engine heat and infra-red jammers can also be used. Some large aircraft and many combat helicopters make use of so-called "hot brick" infra-red jammers, typically mounted near the engines. Current research is developing laser devices which can spoof or destroy the guidance systems of infra-red guided missiles. See Infrared countermeasure . Start of

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1056-558: A target from various angles, not just from behind, where the heat signature from the engines is strongest. Other types rely on radar guidance (either on-board or "painted" by the launching aircraft). In 1999 R-73 missile were adapted by Serb forces for surface to air missiles. The Houthi movement Missile Research and Development Centre and the Missile Force have tried to fire R-27/R-60/R-73/R-77 against Saudi aircraft. Using stockpiles of missiles from Yemeni Air Force stocks. The issue for

1144-479: Is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. These roles can include air to air combat , air support , aerial bombing , reconnaissance , electronic warfare , and suppression of air defenses . The term "multirole" was originally reserved for aircraft designed with the aim of using a common airframe for multiple tasks where the same basic airframe is adapted to a number of differing roles. The main motivation for developing multirole aircraft

1232-827: Is a member of the F-15 Advanced Eagle family of aircraft, a further development of the F-15E design that began with the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) which first flew in 2013 and continued with the F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) which first flew in 2020. The Advanced Eagle in the F-15EX configuration represents the current baseline in F-15 production. In the 2010s, the United States Air Force (USAF) was facing an incoming shortfall of its fighter fleet size in

1320-535: Is also integrated with the AN/ALE-47 chaff/flare countermeasures dispenser system. Both the pilot and WSO can use the Digital Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (D-JHMCS) to cue weapons at high angles off boresight. The Legion Pod's ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 sensor provides the F-15EX with a passive means of threat detection, especially against low-observable threats in the radio-frequency spectrum;

1408-456: Is called "off- boresight " launch. For example, the Russian Su-27 is equipped with an infra-red search and track (IRST) system with laser rangefinder for its HMS-aimed missiles. A recent advancement in missile guidance is electro-optical imaging. The Israeli Python-5 has an electro-optical seeker that scans designated area for targets via optical imaging. Once a target is acquired,

1496-642: Is confident the package is affordable. In June 2023 during a Ministry of Defense press conference it was stated that the contract for the F-15 aircraft is still in the discussion stage with the U.S. government. On 21 August 2023, Boeing and the Indonesian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the purchase of 24 F-15EX fighters. At the Polish International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in September 2023, Boeing pitched

1584-406: Is cost reduction in using a common airframe. More roles can be added, such as aerial reconnaissance , forward air control , and electronic-warfare aircraft . Attack missions include the subtypes air interdiction , suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD), and close air support (CAS). Multirole has also been applied to one aircraft with both major roles, a primary air-to-air combat role, and

1672-568: Is not expected to be as survivable against the latest air defenses as the fifth-generation F-22 and F-35, the F-15EX can supplement the former in air superiority missions by performing homeland and airbase defense, enforcing no-fly zones against limited air defenses, and deploying outsized standoff weapons in support of stealth fighters at the frontline. In July 2020, the U.S. Defense Department ordered eight F-15EXs over three years for $ 1.2 billion. The F-15EX made its maiden flight on 2 February 2021. On 7 April 2021, its official name Eagle II

1760-525: Is possible for the system to take missiles straight from an aircraft. After a live-fire test occurred in September 2020 off the coasts of Florida, during which it successfully engaged a simulated cruise missile, in 2022 NASAMS was deployed to Ukraine, where for the first time this missile system was used in real combat conditions, and, according to Ukrainian government, was able to shot down more than 100 aerial targets. A conventional explosive blast warhead, fragmentation warhead, or continuous rod warhead (or

1848-589: Is still a limitation to some degree) and could be distracted by the sun, a reflection of the sun off of a cloud or ground object, or any other "hot" object within its view. More modern infra-red guided missiles can detect the heat of an aircraft's skin, warmed by the friction of airflow, in addition to the fainter heat signature of the engine when the aircraft is seen from the side or head-on. This, combined with greater maneuverability, gives them an " all-aspect " capability, and an attacking aircraft no longer had to be behind its target to fire. Although launching from behind

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1936-489: Is subject to a minimum range, before which it cannot maneuver effectively. In order to maneuver sufficiently from a poor launch angle at short ranges to hit its target, some missiles use thrust vectoring , which allow the missile to start turning "off the rail", before its motor has accelerated it up to high enough speeds for its small aerodynamic surfaces to be useful. Short-range air-to-air missiles (SRAAMs), typically used in " dogfighting " or close range air combat compare to

2024-414: Is that it enables a " fire-and-forget " mode of attack, where the attacking aircraft is free to pursue other targets or escape the area after launching the missile. Semi-active radar homing (SARH) guided missiles are simpler and more common. They function by detecting radar energy reflected from the target. The radar energy is emitted from the launching aircraft's own radar system. However, this means that

2112-512: Is the "home on jam" mode which, when installed, allows a radar-guided missile to home in on the jammer of the target aircraft if the primary seeker is jammed by the electronic countermeasures of the target aircraft. Air-to-air missiles are typically long, thin cylinders in order to reduce their cross section and thus minimize drag at the high speeds at which they travel. Missiles are divided into five primary systems (moving forward to aft): seeker, guidance, warhead, motor, and control actuation. At

2200-528: The R-60M or the Python-3 . The R-73 (missile) ( AA-11 Archer ) entered service in 1985 and marked a new generation of dogfight missile. It had a wider field of view and could be cued onto a target using a helmet mounted sight . This allowed it to be launched at targets that would otherwise not be seen by older generation missiles that generally stared forward while waiting to be launched. This capability, combined with

2288-665: The AGM-158 JASSM , or outsized munitions like the AGM-183 ARRW to bring additional firepower behind the frontline F-22 and F-35. While the Advanced Eagle's strengthened structure makes it heavier than earlier F-15 variants, the digital fly-by-wire control system and the increased dynamic thrust envelope of the F110-129 engines provide it with substantially improved maneuverability and handling characteristics over legacy F-15s and enables

2376-623: The AIM-120 AMRAAM or AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range missiles; the AGM-88 HARM can also be carried. Using proposed expanded racks and CFT weapons stations, it can potentially carry sixteen AIM-120; four AIM-9; and two AGM-88 HARMs, although this has not been tested or funded. For precision strike, it can carry sixteen GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs ; four AMRAAMs; one 2,000 lb Joint Direct Attack Munition ; two HARMs; and two fuel drop tanks . The F-15EX can carry multiple large standoff munitions such as

2464-665: The ASRAAM and Sea Ceptor . The air-to-air missile grew out of the unguided air-to-air rockets used during the First World War . Le Prieur rockets were sometimes attached to the struts of biplanes and fired electrically, usually against observation balloons , by such early pilots as Albert Ball and A. M. Walters. Facing the Allied air superiority, Germany in World War II invested limited effort into missile research, initially adapting

2552-649: The F-22 Raptor . Below is a list of some current examples. Air-to-air missiles Air-to-air missiles are broadly put in two groups. Those designed to engage opposing aircraft at ranges of around 30 km to 40 km maximum are known as short-range or "within visual range" missiles (SRAAMs or WVRAAMs) and are sometimes called " dogfight " missiles because they are designed to optimize their agility rather than range. Most use infrared guidance and are called heat-seeking missiles. In contrast, medium- or long-range missiles (MRAAMs or LRAAMs), which both fall under

2640-446: The beyond-visual-range missiles . Most of the short-range air-to-air missiles are infrared guided . Those missiles usually classified into five "generations" according to the historical technological advances. Most of these advances were in infrared seeker technology (later combined with digital signal processing ). Early short-range missiles such as the early Sidewinders and K-13 (missile) ( AA-2 Atoll ) had infrared seekers with

2728-498: The 2020s due to deferred and downscaled modernization plans from budget cuts following the end of the Cold War in 1991, and the focus on asymmetric counterinsurgency warfare after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks . The USAF's procurement requirement of 381 production F-22s to replace its fleet of air superiority F-15A to D fighters was curtailed to just 187 in 2009. In order to retain adequate numbers of air superiority fighters,

Boeing F-15EX Eagle II - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-604: The 2024 World Defense Show in Riyadh. If the deal goes ahead, Saudi Arabia will look to upgrade their fleet of F-15SAs to the same standard as the EX. A U.S. agreement to sell F-15 Advanced Eagles to Egypt for the Egyptian Air Force was announced in March 2022. A contract needs to be finalized after price and delivery date are determined. In February 2022, the U.S. State Department approved

2904-492: The 21st century missiles such as the ASRAAM use an " imaging infrared " seeker which "sees" the target (much like a digital video camera), and can distinguish between an aircraft and a point heat source such as a flare. They also feature a very wide detection angle, so the attacking aircraft does not have to be pointing straight at the target for the missile to lock on. The pilot can use a helmet mounted sight (HMS) and target another aircraft by looking at it, and then firing. This

2992-814: The AESA antenna of the APG-63(V)3 with the processor of the APG-79(V) found on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet as well as a new cooling system and Radio Frequency Tunable Filters (RFTF) to enable simultaneous radar and electronic warfare functions while integrated with the AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS electronic warfare suite. Leveraging the work and experience from AN/ALQ-239 DEWS, the EPAWSS is a digital system that provides all-aspect radar warning receiver function and threat geolocation; it

3080-567: The F-15C/D and complement the F-22, the F-15EX can employ the LANTIRN and Sniper XR pods like its F-15E precursor to perform ground attack. The avionics has an open systems architecture to facilitate potential future upgrades. The F-15EX's large payload capacity enables a high level of flexibility. In a typical air superiority or escort configuration, the Advanced Eagle can carry twelve air-to-air missiles, either

3168-554: The F-15E Strike Eagle interdictor/strike derivative which retained the air-to-air combat lethality of earlier F-15s. The newest fighter jet that fits the definition of 'multi-role' is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II / Joint Strike Fighter , designed to perform stealth-based ground/naval strike, fighter, reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles. Like a modern-day F-4, 3 variants of this aircraft fulfill

3256-430: The F-15E fleet, such as EPAWSS whose development contract was awarded in 2015 to Boeing and BAE Systems . However, by the mid-2010s, the F-15C/D fleet was aging beyond the point of economic sustainability and would not be serviceable by the 2030s, while the F-35 program was facing delays, resulting in a requirement to recapitalize the fighter shortfall as the legacy F-15s retire by the mid-2020s. Restarting F-22 production

3344-581: The F-15EX to Poland. However, there were no specifics on price or delivery. The Royal Thai Air Force is seeking multirole fighters to replace the F-16A/Bs it has in service. On 31 December 2021, the RTAF Commander-in-chief announced that the Air Force proposes to buy 8 to 12 F-35 Lightning IIs in 2023. On 12 January 2022, the council of ministers approved the first batch of four F-35As. On 22 May 2023,

3432-507: The F-15EX. On 25 May 2023, it was announced that the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field ANGB , Oregon, would become a Formal Training Unit (FTU) for the F-35A rather than the F-15EX. Basic F-15 training, for both the F-15E and F-15EX, will instead take place at Seymour Johnson AFB , North Carolina, from 2026 onwards. On 5 June 2024, Oregon's 142nd Wing received its first F-15EX with the fighter landing at Portland Air National Guard Base, while

3520-598: The F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) ordered in 2017. In 2018, following a series of OSD CAPE studies indicating that a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters would allow the USAF to more affordably recapitalize its fighter fleet, the USAF and Boeing began discussing the F-15X or Advanced F-15 , a proposed single-seat variant based on the F-15QA to replace USAF F-15C/Ds. Eventually, both single- and two-seat variants were proposed, called F-15CX and F-15EX respectively, with identical capabilities;

3608-568: The F-15SA and F-15QA mounts the AN/AAS-42 "Tiger Eyes", the precursor to the IRST21 sensor, on the targeting pod pylon. While the aircraft can be operated by a single pilot for basic air superiority missions, the back seat is fully missionized to support a WSO for complex missions and can potentially support the manned-unmanned teaming coordination with uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft . Although employed primarily as an air superiority fighter to replace

Boeing F-15EX Eagle II - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-488: The MBDA Meteor, that "breathe" air (using a ramjet , similar to a jet engine) in order to extend their range. Modern missiles use "low-smoke" motors – early missiles produced thick smoke trails, which were easily seen by the crew of the target aircraft alerting them to the attack and helping them determine how to evade it. The CAS is typically an electro-mechanical, servo control actuation system, which takes input from

3784-530: The R-27 and R-77 is the lack of a radar to support their guidance to the target. However the R-73 and R-60 are infra-red heat seeking missiles. They only require, power, liquid nitrogen "to cool the seeker head" and a pylon to launch the missile. These missiles have been paired with a "US made FLIR Systems ULTRA 8500 turrets". Only one near miss has been verified and that was a R-27T fired at Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA. However

3872-460: The U.S. fighter industrial base through Boeing's St. Louis division (former McDonnell Douglas ). The F-15EX is expected to replace the F-15C/D in performing homeland and air defense missions and also serve as an affordable platform for employing large stand-off weapons to augment the frontline F-22 and F-35. The aircraft was first delivered in 2021 and entered operational service in July 2024. The F-15EX

3960-425: The U.S. fighter industrial base. The F-15EX improvements included the AESA radar, IRST, and EPAWSS from the existing F-15 upgrade programs while combining the benefits of the F-15QA such as the revised structure with a service life of 20,000 hours, new cockpit and flight controls, and the proposed AMBER (Advanced Missile and Bomb Ejector Rack) system to enable the carriage of up to 22 air-to-air missiles . Although it

4048-625: The US that early F-4 variants were armed only with missiles in the 1960s. High casualty rates during the Vietnam War caused the US to reintroduce autocannon and traditional dogfighting tactics but the missile remains the primary weapon in air combat. In the Falklands War British Harriers , using AIM-9L missiles were able to defeat faster Argentinian opponents. Since the late 20th century all-aspect heat-seeking designs can lock-on to

4136-445: The USAF opted for the EX since only two-seat F-15 models remained in production, and in 2019, eight aircraft were included in the FY 2020 budget request. This would enable the use of the existing F-15 production line with minimal non-recurring startup costs to quickly bring additional fighters into service and also was a way to support Boeing's St. Louis division in order to maintain diversity in

4224-527: The USN's AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder . Post-war research led the Royal Air Force to introduce Fairey Fireflash into service in 1957 but their results were unsuccessful. The Soviet Air Force introduced its K-5 into service in 1957. As missile systems have continued to advance, modern air warfare consists almost entirely of missile firing. The use of beyond-visual-range combat became so pervasive in

4312-683: The anti-radiation missile (ARM) design, pioneered during Vietnam and used to home in against emitting surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites, to an air intercept weapon. Current air-to-air passive anti-radiation missile development is thought to be a countermeasure to airborne early warning and control (AEW&C – also known as AEW or AWACS) aircraft which typically mount powerful search radars. Due to their dependence on target aircraft radar emissions, when used against fighter aircraft passive anti-radiation missiles are primarily limited to forward-aspect intercept geometry. For examples, see Vympel R-27 and Brazo . Another aspect of passive anti-radiation homing

4400-657: The attack radar to illuminate the target during part or all of the missile interception itself. Radar guidance is normally used for medium- or long-range missiles, where the infra-red signature of the target would be too faint for an infra-red detector to track. There are three major types of radar-guided missile – active, semi-active, and passive. Radar-guided missiles can be countered by rapid maneuvering (which may result in them "breaking lock", or may cause them to overshoot), deploying chaff or using electronic counter-measures . Active radar (AR)-guided missiles carry their own radar system to detect and track their target. However,

4488-461: The blisters for these sensors were retained in order to minimize production changes and maintain the same aerodynamic profile for the fly-by-wire system. While not as survivable as the stealthy F-22 or F-35, the F-15EX nevertheless incorporates advanced integrated avionics and protective countermeasures systems to improve the pilot's situational awareness and increase survivability. The F-15EX's APG-82(V)1 radar, initially designated APG-63(V)4, combines

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4576-424: The category of beyond-visual-range missiles (BVRAAMs), tend to rely upon radar guidance, of which there are many forms. Some modern ones use inertial guidance and/or "mid-course updates" to get the missile close enough to use an active homing sensor. The concepts of air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles are closely related, and in some cases versions of the same weapon may be used for both roles, such as

4664-545: The drawback is that these missiles are intended to be fired from one jet fighter against another. So the motors and fuel load are smaller than a purpose built surface to air missile. On the Western side, the Norwegian-American made NASAMS air defense system has been developed for using AIM-9 Sidewinder , IRIS-T and AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to intercept targets. None of these missiles require modifications and hence it

4752-414: The front is the seeker, either a radar system, radar homer, or infra-red detector. Behind that lies the avionics which control the missile. Typically after that, in the centre of the missile, is the warhead, usually several kilograms of high explosive surrounded by metal that fragments on detonation (or in some cases, pre-fragmented metal). The rear part of the missile contains the propulsion system, usually

4840-422: The front or side aspects, as opposed to just the hotter engine nozzle(s) from rear-aspect, allowing for a true all-aspect capability. This significantly expanded potential attacking envelopes, allowing the attacker to fire at a target which was side-on or front-on to itself as opposed to just the rear. While the field-of-view was still restricted to a fairly narrow cone, the attack at least did not have to be behind

4928-488: The guidance system and manipulates the airfoils or fins at the rear of the missile that guide or steers the weapon to target. Nowadays, countries start developing hypersonic air-to-air missile using scramjet engines (such as R-37 , or AIM-260 JATM ), which not only increases efficiency for BVR battles, but it also makes survival chances of target aircraft drop to nearly zero. A number of terms frequently crop up in discussions of air-to-air missile performance. A missile

5016-426: The hot exhaust pipes of an aircraft. This meant an attacking aircraft had to maneuver to a position behind its target before it could fire an infra-red guided missile. This also limited the range of the missile as the infra-red signature soon become too small to detect with increasing distance and after launch the missile was playing "catch-up" with its target. Early infrared seekers were unusable in clouds or rain (which

5104-417: The launch aircraft has to maintain a "lock" on the target (keep illuminating the target aircraft with its own radar) until the missile makes the interception. This limits the attacking aircraft's ability to maneuver, which may be necessary should threats to the attacking aircraft appear. An advantage of SARH-guided missiles is that they are homing on the reflected radar signal, so accuracy actually increases as

5192-464: The legacy TEWS, and introduced a revised wing structure for increased service life, an enhanced cockpit originally proposed for the F-15SE Silent Eagle and digital fly-by-wire control system that replaced the original hybrid electronic/mechanical system and enables the activation of two additional wing pylons; the fly-by-wire eliminated flutter modes causing stability issues that resulted in

5280-482: The missile close to the target. At a predetermined point (frequently based on time since launch or arrival near the predicted target location) the missile's radar system is activated (the missile is said to "go active"), and the missile then homes in on the target. If the range from the attacking aircraft to the target is within the range of the missile's radar system, the missile can "go active" immediately upon launch. The great advantage of an active radar homing system

5368-500: The missile gets closer because the reflection comes from a "point source": the target. Against this, if there are multiple targets, each will be reflecting the same radar signal and the missile may become confused as to which target is its intended victim. The missile may well be unable to pick a specific target and fly through a formation without passing within lethal range of any specific aircraft. Newer missiles have logic circuits in their guidance systems to help prevent this problem. At

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5456-408: The missile that allows it to home in on the jamming signal. An early form of radar guidance was " beam-riding " (BR). In this method, the attacking aircraft directs a narrow beam of radar energy at the target. The air-to-air missile was launched into the beam, where sensors on the aft of the missile controlled the missile, keeping it within the beam. So long as the beam was kept on the target aircraft,

5544-403: The missile will lock-on to it for the kill. Electro-optical seekers can be programmed to target vital area of an aircraft, such as the cockpit. Since it does not depend on the target aircraft's heat signature, it can be used against low-heat targets such as UAVs and cruise missiles . However, clouds can get in the way of electro-optical sensors. Evolving missile guidance designs are converting

5632-405: The missile would ride the beam until making the interception. While conceptually simple, the move is hard because of the challenge of simultaneously keeping the beam solidly on the target (which could not be relied upon to cooperate by flying straight and level), continuing to fly one's own aircraft, and monitoring enemy countermeasures. An added complication was that the beam will spread out into

5720-670: The pilot and weapon systems officer (WSO). Based on the F-15QA, the F-15EX incorporates the Raytheon AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA radar, BAE Systems AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS in lieu of DEWS from which EPAWSS draws heavily from, and the Lockheed Martin Legion Pod with AN/ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 sensor; in contrast to some other Advanced Eagle variants, the F-15EX does not have the BAE Systems AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), although

5808-731: The pilot to maneuver aggressively with no angle-of-attack limits. The fly-by-wire also makes the aircraft much more departure-resistant and tolerant of asymmetric loads. The first F-15EX was delivered in March 2021 and flown to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida . A fleet of six aircraft formed the test force to support development and operational flight testing. The first two aircraft conducted weapons separation tests and participated in Northern Edge and Combat Hammer in May and August 2023. The third aircraft

5896-801: The planned fleet up to 104 aircraft. The F-15EX is a variant of the F-15 Advanced Eagle family of aircraft, a further development of the F-15E Strike Eagle design beginning with the F-15SA for the Royal Saudi Air Force . The Advanced Eagle consolidated several upgrades to the F-15E developed for export customers, including full integration of the General Electric F110-GE-129 and the AN/ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS) that replaced

5984-476: The possibility of leading a missile within its FOV for an increased probability of kill against a maneuvering target. In some cases, the improved sensitivity to heat signatures allows for a very limited side and even all-aspect tracking, as is the case with the Red Top missile . In conjunction with improved control surfaces and propulsion motors over the first generation of dogfight missiles, the technological advances of

6072-503: The projectile of the unguided 21 cm Nebelwerfer 42 infantry barrage rocket system into the air-launched BR 21 anti-aircraft rocket in 1943; leading to the deployment of the R4M unguided rocket and the development of various guided missile prototypes such as the Ruhrstahl X-4 . The US Navy and US Air Force began equipping guided missiles in 1956, deploying the USAF's AIM-4 Falcon and

6160-516: The sale of up to 36 F-15IDs and related equipment to Indonesia. As of 21 November 2022, Indonesia's planned purchase of F-15s is in advanced stages and awaiting final sign-off from the government, as stated by the Indonesian Minister of Defense . Speaking after meeting his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin in Jakarta, Prabowo Subianto said that Boeing had agreed to the financial offer proposed and he

6248-665: The same basic design to undertake a variety of roles, the Tornado IDS (Interdictor/Strike) variant and later the Panavia Tornado ADV (Air Defence Variant). By contrast, the F-15 Eagle which was another fighter aircraft of that era was designed for air superiority and interception, with the mantra "not a pound for air to ground", although the F-15C did have a rarely used secondary ground attack capability. That program eventually evolved into

6336-424: The same mission." According to BAE Systems, "an aircraft that can accomplish both air-to-air and air-to-surface roles on the same mission and swing between these roles instantly offers true flexibility. This reduces cost, increases effectiveness and enhances interoperability with allied air forces". "[Swing-role] capability also offers considerable cost-of-ownership benefits to operational commanders." Although

6424-402: The same time, jamming the missile lock-on is easier because the launching aircraft is further from the target than the missile, so the radar signal has to travel further and is greatly attenuated over the distance. This means that the missile may be jammed or "spoofed" by countermeasures whose signals grow stronger as the missile gets closer. One counter to this is a "home on jam" capability in

6512-457: The second arrived a month later. Initial operational capability was declared on 10 July 2024. The Israeli Air Force ordered 25 F-15IA fighters based on the F-15EX and plans to upgrade 25 F-15Is to the F-15IA standard as of 2023. In 2024, the number of new-built F-15IAs was increased to 50. In addition to the 84 F-15SA purchased in 2011, Boeing discussed the sale of 54 F-15EXs to Saudi Arabia during

6600-467: The second-generation short-range missiles allowed them to be used not just on non-maneuvering bombers, but also actively maneuvering fighters. Examples include advanced derivatives of the K-13 (missile) and AIM-9 such as K-13M ( R-13M , Object 380) or AIM-9D / G / H . This generation introduced much more sensitive seekers that are capable of locking onto the warm heat irradiated by the skins of aircraft from

6688-554: The service planned to extend the service of 179 F-15C/Ds to the 2030s, well beyond its original retirement date. Also referred to as F-15 2040C upgrade or "Golden Eagle", these jets would have upgraded avionics, including active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, infrared search and track (IRST), and a new electronic warfare suite called the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS). Some of these upgrades would be shared with

6776-409: The size of the radar antenna is limited by the small diameter of missiles, limiting its range which typically means such missiles are launched at a predicted future location of the target, often relying on separate guidance systems such as Global Positioning System , inertial guidance , or a mid-course update from either the launching aircraft or other system that can communicate with the missile to get

6864-410: The target increases the probability of a hit, the launching aircraft usually has to be closer to the target in such a tail-chase engagement . An aircraft can defend against infra-red missiles by dropping flares that are hotter than the aircraft, so the missile homes in on the brighter, hotter target. In turn, IR missiles may employ filters to enable it to ignore targets whose temperature is not within

6952-440: The target on a collision course. Although the missile may use radar or infra-red guidance to home on the target, the launching aircraft may detect and track the target before launch by other means. Infra-red guided missiles can be "slaved" to an attack radar in order to find the target and radar-guided missiles can be launched at targets detected visually or via an infra-red search and track (IRST) system, although they may require

7040-446: The target. Also typical of the third generation of short-range missiles are further improved agility over the previous generation as well as their ability to radar-slave; which is acquiring tracking data from the launching aircraft's radar or IRST systems, allowing attackers to launch missiles without ever pointing the nose of the aircraft at an enemy prior to leading the missile. Examples of this generation of dogfight missiles include

7128-577: The term "multirole aircraft" may be relatively novel, certain airframes in history have proven versatile to multiple roles. In particular, the Junkers Ju 88 was renowned in Germany for being a "jack-of-all-trades", capable of performing as a bomber, dive bomber, night fighter, and so on, much as the British de Havilland Mosquito did as a fast bomber/strike aircraft, reconnaissance, and night fighter. The Hawker Hart

7216-493: The two outboard wing pylons being deactivated in earlier F-15 variants. Starting from the F-15QA for the Qatari Emiri Air Force , the Advanced Eagle introduced a further revised wing structure that increased service life to 20,000 hours, the new Advanced Display Core Processor II (ADCP II) mission computer, and a new cockpit with a 10 in × 19 in (25 cm × 48 cm) large area display (LAD) each for

7304-728: The various strike and air defense roles among its joint service requirements: the standard variant is intended to eventually replace the F-16 and A-10 in the USAF and other Western air forces, a STOVL version intended to replace the Harrier in US Marine Corps, British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy service, and a carrier variant intended to eventually replace the older F/A-18C/D for the US Navy and other F/A-18 operators. The F-35's design goal can be compared to its larger and more air superiority-focused cousin,

7392-584: Was also quite 'multirole' in its numerous variants, being designed as a light bomber but serving as an army cooperation aircraft, a two-seat fighter, a fleet spotter, a fighter-bomber (in fact it was probably the first) and a trainer. The US joint forces F-4 Phantom II built by McDonnell-Douglas also fits the definition of a multi-role aircraft in its various configurations of the basic airframe design. The various F-4 Phantom II configurations were used in air-to-air, fighter bomber, reconnaissance, and suppression of enemy air defenses ( SEAD ) mission roles to name

7480-403: Was announced. The FY2021 defense appropriations bill funded F-15EX procurement at $ 1.23 billion for 12 aircraft, bringing total orders to 20 aircraft with 144 total planned. By May 2022, the USAF reduced its orders to 80. The first operational F-15EXs are not to receive conformal fuel tanks. The Air Force's proposed budget for fiscal 2024 includes funds to buy 24 more F-15EXs, which would bring

7568-585: Was completed in August 2023; Phase 2 was cancelled due to planned aircraft upgrades of later lots and a follow-on operational test & evaluation (FOT&E) is planned. In August 2020, the USAF announced plans to replace F-15Cs of Air National Guard units in Florida and Oregon with F-15EXs. On 18 April 2023, the USAF announced that the California and Louisiana Air National Guards would replace their F-15C/D fleets with

7656-432: Was considered cost prohibitive due to the high non-recurring startup costs of rebuilding the production line and sourcing replacement parts vendors. Meanwhile, Boeing had been developing upgrades for the F-15E for export customers and a substantial update to the air vehicle design resulted in the F-15 Advanced Eagle family; the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) was the initial variant which first flew in 20 February 2013, followed by

7744-545: Was equipped with additional communications equipment, a redesigned forward fuselage specifically for USAF requirements, and was the first equipped with EPAWSS. The F-15EX test program is able to save time and money because many systems such as the fly-by-wire and cockpit displays were already tested on the F-15SA and F-15QA with export customer funding by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The F-15EX's Integrated Test & Evaluation Phase 1, which consisted of weapons trials, integration with fifth-generation fighters, and mission systems testing,

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