F-15EX

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 15 Mar 2021, 06:55

I said sometime ago. That it would make much more sense. For Israel just to buy more second hand F-15's and upgrade them. Than to acquire the new F-15EX. At least I am not alone.......

Israel Could Be Waiting For Surplus U.S. Air Force F-15s Instead Of Buying New Advanced Eagles

With the U.S. Air Force buying F-15EXs to replace its F-15C/Ds, the Israeli Air Force may be waiting to turn one country's trash into treasure.

By Tyler Rogoway March 13, 2021

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... se-of-this

element1loop · by **element1loop** » 15 Mar 2021, 07:29

Isn't the F-15E fleet planned to remain in USAF service until ~2035?

I really don't think Israel will be interested in upgrading old F-15C.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 15 Mar 2021, 08:55

element1loop wrote:Isn't the F-15E fleet planned to remain in USAF service until ~2035?

I really don't think Israel will be interested in upgrading old F-15C.

My guess is the F-15EX Fleet will just integrate with the existing F-15E Fleet. Which, likely will be upgraded to a similar standard anyways.

As for Israel and second hand F-15C's from the USAF. I doubt they would have to much interest. As they only need a small number of F-15D's.

icemaverick · by **icemaverick** » 16 Mar 2021, 03:24

The average age of the F-15Cs is something like 35 years if I'm not mistaken. I doubt the Israelis would want them.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 16 Mar 2021, 04:11

icemaverick wrote:The average age of the F-15Cs is something like 35 years if I'm not mistaken. I doubt the Israelis would want them.

Israel would be most likely interested in the twin-seat F-15D's. Which, have much less hours on them........... :wink:

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 16 Mar 2021, 16:17

sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:
mixelflick wrote: If I'm not mistaken, the new F-110's will give the EX at least 10,000lbs more thrust (total), as well as being more fuel efficient. I so can't wait to see an F-15EX demo, flying one "clean". Yikes.

Just remember the EX is ~6,000lb heavier empty and carries ~9,000lb more internal fuel IIRC.

Thanks for the note on the EX gaining weight. First I've heard it'll be 6,000lbs heavier empty, curious to know where the additional weight is coming from? As for the 9,000lbs more internal fuel, you are almost certainly referring to the CFT's, yes?

The F-15C as I understand it carries 13,500lbs or so of fuel internally. I assumed early on Boeing would add to that with the EX, in particular due to the 2nd cockpit taking up additional space. However, nowhere can I find any additional (true internal) fuel being added. Sort of disappointed, to be honest. But they apparently don't mind flying wth CFT's, so I'm guessing there isn't too much drag/performance decrement associated with them. It's odd though, because every F-15C I see flying does so with 2 bags. And when queried about this, a local F-15C pilot just shrugged his shoulders and said, "we can always punch them off, can't do that with the CFT's".

Regardless, I'm sure USAF has its reasons. Perhaps the new motors are much more fuel efficient

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 16 Mar 2021, 16:58

mixelflick wrote:
sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Just remember the EX is ~6,000lb heavier empty and carries ~9,000lb more internal fuel IIRC.

Thanks for the note on the EX gaining weight. First I've heard it'll be 6,000lbs heavier empty, curious to know where the additional weight is coming from? As for the 9,000lbs more internal fuel, you are almost certainly referring to the CFT's, yes?

The F-15C as I understand it carries 13,500lbs or so of fuel internally. I assumed early on Boeing would add to that with the EX, in particular due to the 2nd cockpit taking up additional space. However, nowhere can I find any additional (true internal) fuel being added. Sort of disappointed, to be honest. But they apparently don't mind flying wth CFT's, so I'm guessing there isn't too much drag/performance decrement associated with them. It's odd though, because every F-15C I see flying does so with 2 bags. And when queried about this, a local F-15C pilot just shrugged his shoulders and said, "we can always punch them off, can't do that with the CFT's".

Regardless, I'm sure USAF has its reasons. Perhaps the new motors are much more fuel efficient

The F-15EX is, at it's core, an F-15E airframe with new innards (F110s instead of F100s, new Mission computer, new displays, new ECM, new MAWS, and of course FBW). The F-15C weighs in at around 31,000lbs. An F-15E weighs in ~34,000 without CFTs and ~37,000lb with CFTs. Yes, the extra fuel is all in CFTs (an F-15D only has ~12,400 IIRC). Operationally F-15Es still fly with two bags under the wings in addition to the CFTs. Find an airshow demo of an F-15E with no CFTs and that is largely what an airshow demo of an F-15EX without CFTs would look like, just with nicer low speed handling.

f119doctor · by **f119doctor** » 16 Mar 2021, 18:17

Of course, if the USAF picks the PW-229 instead of the GE-129 for the production run of the EX, they will save about 800 lbs of empty weight. Not a significant difference in 1g flight, but at 9g that is another 7,200 lbs of induced drag weight for the engines to push during sustained g maneuvering.

jetblast16 · by **jetblast16** » 16 Mar 2021, 20:13

The U.S. Air Force is looking to add new "cognitive" capabilities that leverage artificial intelligence, or AI, and machine learning, into electronic warfare systems now in development for various versions of the F-15, a concept known broadly as cognitive electronic warfare.

The Air Force Life Cycle Manager Center (AFLCMC) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio issued the contracting notice relating to adding cognitive electronic warfare capabilities onto F-15 variants on March 11, 2021. The F-15 Program Office is interested in "cognitive (artificial intelligence/machine learning) EW [electronic warfare] capabilities ... that can be fielded in the next two years and incrementally improved upon and integrated into EW systems currently in development for the F-15," according to that announcement.

EPAWSS is an all-digital self-protection system intended to replace the existing AN/ALQ-135 Tactical Electronic Warfare System (TEWS) found on the F-15E. While its exact capabilities are highly sensitive, we know that the new suite can detect, categorize, and geolocate various kinds of electromagnetic emissions, including those from hostile radars. It can then prioritize which ones present the biggest threats and then employ its jammers and other countermeasures against them.

By every indication, EPAWSS already functions in a highly automated manner. This would make it ideally suited to the integration of cognitive electronic warfare capabilities.

Source: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... pabilities

More at the jump!

jetblast16 · by **jetblast16** » 16 Mar 2021, 20:19

It is sounding like the Air Force is cleverly using the advanced Eagle as a test bed for new technologies and procedures..

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 17 Mar 2021, 00:34

More like the Air Force is trying to find a real reason for acquiring the F-15EX in the first place.........

jetblast16 · by **jetblast16** » 18 Mar 2021, 00:46

Original video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhmQTffYlbU

f119doctor · by **f119doctor** » 18 Mar 2021, 01:09

jetblast16 wrote:

Original video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhmQTffYlbU

So they are getting the F110 up to the standard set by the F100-229 EEP engine - 6000 TCY cycles between module depot overhaul, which has been available for the past 5 years or so...

jetblast16 · by **jetblast16** » 18 Mar 2021, 01:18

Video post date: Jun 30, 2014

I added the video here as I thought it was somewhat relevant to the -EX, as it is, at least initially, powered by GE engines :wink:

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 19 Mar 2021, 17:24

Here, GE is claiming an improved fuel burn and "performance capability in reserve".

https://www.geaviation.com/military/eng ... 7yEALw_wcB

I wonder just how much more range an F-15EX has vs. an F-15E for example. I also wonder if the "performance capability in reserve" refers to more thrust, faster throttle input, etc.? Finally, are both the E and EX pictured below powered by the same GE engine? Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, the nozzle at least looks similar. Doesn't seem to have the turkey feathers removed, as on the PandW F-100...