their durability and to extend their original design life. Current orders for the F-15 extend production into 2018. Not only has the fighter been significantly upgraded with new technology and capability over the years, but Boeing is now offering the Silent Eagle, which incorporates stealth technology that makes it less visible to enemy radar. The Silent Eagle is one of the fighters that South Korea is considering in an ongoing competition. It is an evolved derivative of the F-15K Slam Eagle currently in service with the Republic of Korea Air Force. “The boron and titanium used to builld the F-15 allow it to perform at the elevated temperatures reached at higher speeds,” explained John Heilmann, F-15SA development program manager. “Because of how it’s built and what it’s built of, the F-15 can easily reach Mach 2.5 (more than twice the speed of sound) while more recently designed fighter aircraft are limited to Mach 1.8 or less.” Over the years, the latest strike weapons, smart weapons and missiles have been integrated into the aircraft’s electronics systems. An advanced crew station with large area displays and various technologies that make the F-15 less detectable with radar are but a few of the many upgrades Boeing has performed on the F-15. As the F-15 has evolved, so has its customer base, including Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Singapore. Last December, the U.S. government announced that Saudi Arabia will purchase 84 new F-15SA Eagles and upgrade their existing 70 F-15S aircraft to a similar configuration. Heilmann said a key development that has kept the F-15 in demand was the Conformal Fuel Tanks that add PhOTO: Two F-15C’s maneuver during a training sortie earlier this year. The flares are deployed as countermeasures to heat- seeking missiles. These F-15s are flown, maintained and supported by the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Fighter Wing based in Portland, Ore. JIM hASElTINE/hIGh-G PROduCTIONS BOEING FRONTIERS / OCTOBER 2012 37
Frontiers October 2012 Issue
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