Equipped with a wide variety of air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons, the F-15E is capable of destroying ground targets, far beyond enemy lines, and defending itself against aerial threats.
Designed as a variant to the iconic F-15 Eagle, the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is a dual-role fighter. Whereas the original F-15 was strictly an air superiority fighter, the F-15E was configured to perform deep interdiction missions while retaining formidable air-to-air combat capabilities.
Since its introduction in the late 1980s, the F-15E has proven itself to be a versatile and reliable platform—excelling in strategic strike missions and close air support missions across a variety of global
operations.
The F-15E’s Specs
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather multi-role fighter developed by McDonnell Douglas in the 1980s, and currently manufactured by Boeing. The US Air Force has 218 F-15Es in its fleet.
- Wingspan: 42 feet
- Fuselage length: 63 feet, 9 inches
- Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney F-100-PW-229 afterburning turbofan engines, each generating 29,000 pounds of thrust
- Top speed: Mach 2.5 (1,918 mph)
- Highest operating altitude: 60,000 feet
- Combat radius: 1,000 nautical miles without aerial refueling
- Crew: Two — a pilot and a weapons system officer (WSO)
The two-seat cockpit features multi-function displays, digital flight controls, and a fully integrated digital avionics suite. Like most modern aircraft, the F-15E also features a fly-by-wire control system and an advanced electronic warfare suite that includes radar warning receivers, countermeasures dispensers, and jamming systems to enhance the aircraft’s survivability in contested environments.
The F-15E’s performance specs are designed in service of ordnance delivery, a mission profile the aircraft excels at. The F-15E can carry up to 23,000 pounds of payload across nine hardpoints. A wide variety of munitions are compatible with the F-15E, including the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions), Paveway laser-guided bombs, AGM-130 standoff weapons, and AIM-9 Sidewinder or AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. The aircraft also features an internally mounted M61A1 20-mm Vulcan cannon with 500 rounds, making the F-15E fully equipped to perform its wide-ranging and vital mission profile.
What Mission Profiles Suit the F-15E?
One of the primary mission profiles of the F-15E is long-range, high-speed interdiction, which is typically conducted without reliance on escort or electronic warfare. Equipped with a wide variety of air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons, the F-15E is capable of destroying ground targets far beyond enemy lines and defending itself against aerial threats.
The F-15E’s precision strike ability relies upon the integration of advanced avionics, especially the AN/APG-82(V)1 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, which allows the F-15E to find and track targets as well as maintain situational awareness no matter the weather condition. In addition, the F-15E is outfitted with the Sniper or LANTIRN targeting pod, which assists in weapons delivery, night operations, and target assessment.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
