With a thrust-to-weight ratio of more than 1, the F-15s offer excellent flight performance. (Photo/US Air Force)
The F-15 Eagle has been in service for nearly 50 years, and for a while, it was thought that the F-15 would go into history, as it was supposed to be replaced by the stowaway-capable F-22 Raptor. But surprisingly, the F-22 instead met with a planned early end to support production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
In its place, the U.S. Air Force placed another order for the F-15 nearly 20 years after production was halted, a rather rare exception in the history of warplane development.
So what is so special about the F-15 that the USAF has to maintain sufficient numbers? And can it be active in today’s battlefield environment? In fact, the F-15 does have three proud capabilities that cannot be easily replaced by other successor aircraft.
First, it is the fastest flying jet fighter in the United States
Although the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which has dominated almost most of the military news these past few years, the F-15C still dominates U.S. air defense efforts. Notably, the F-35’s real role is not to tangle with other adversary fighters; its best role is to quietly disrupt ground air defense positions. The F-15, which was known as a “pure air combat” air superiority juggernaut, was to be feared by all Soviet fighters, regardless of their type.
The F-15 had a top speed of more than Mach 2.4, or 3017 kilometers per hour. It also caused some controversy, as many believed that this powerful fighter, rightly, could fly faster. Whether or not the F-15’s top speed is faster than the official claim, it is certain that if the F-35 were to match its speed, then the F-35 would be destined to eat dirt, as the F-35’s top speed is only Mach 1.6 (1,979 km/h). Even the most advanced F-22, its top speed only reaches Mach 2.2.
A long-range F-15 flying with three auxiliary fuel tanks installed. (Photo/US Air Force)
Second, it has great range
The U.S. Navy has been working hard to find ways to expand the operational range of its naval warplanes, including the F/A-18E Super Hornet and F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, because the ships must be kept away from Chinese anti-ship missiles. But the USAF’s F-15s, when carrying three external fuel tanks, have more than three times the range of the Navy’s fighters! In total, the F-15 can cover approximately 3,000 nautical miles (5,556 km) of airspace without refueling in the interim. With the assistance of an air refueling tanker, it can even maintain a continuous power patrol with multiple armament.
The U.S. Navy used to have F-14 Tomcats with ultra-long range performance, but unfortunately the F-14s were all retired in 2006.
Third, the F-15 has a perfect combat record
The F-15 has served with the U.S. Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Israel, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Qatar. Despite more than 40 years of service, no F-15 has ever been shot down by an opponent in air combat. Unlike the F-35 and F-22, which rely on stealth to avoid detection, the F-15 never sneaks up on its opponents and always wins head-to-head.
The F-15’s complete lack of stealth traits prevents pilots from relying on the stealth effect to protect the aircraft from enemy fighters or ground anti-aircraft fire, so the F-15 is able to win by relying on tactics, skill and speed to gain an advantage in every combat.
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