EA-18G
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/ea18g/flash.html
Posted on 07/31/2005 9:26:36 AM PDT by Righty_McRight
Boeing Co.'s St. Louis-made F-15 Eagle used to be the sure thing of fighter jet procurement. Now the aging fighter is just a long shot in its own country.
Jim Albaugh, chief executive of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, says the odds are against the U.S. Air Force signing a multiyear deal to buy more F-15s. That assessment isn't surprising as the Pentagon prepares to spend billions of dollars over the next few decades for the F/A-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, two planes under development by Lockheed Martin Corp.
Still, some influential members of Congress say the Air Force needs a hedge against production delays or cost overruns. They believe the F-15 can play an important role in keeping the country's dwindling inventory of fighter jets at a healthy level during the transition to the Raptor and JSF.
One potential scenario has the Air Force buying anywhere from 100 to 144 F-15s as insurance against a slip in the JSF program, according to people familiar with informal discussions that started about two years ago.
That would be a boon for the F-15 program. Production of the storied combat plane will end in 2008, unless Boeing wins more orders. St. Louis defense workers have made more than 1,500 of the F-15s. The first F-15A flight was made in 1972.
Currently, the most hopeful market for more F-15s is Singapore, which could make a decision as early as next month on whether to take the Boeing plane or a French-made fighter in a competition worth an estimated $1 billion.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
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| The Eagle's survivability, excellent performace and combat effectiveness is in no little part due to the sound and robust design, best displayed by an IAF F-15 on May 1st, 1983. On a joint training flight with A-4 Skyhawks, an F-15D collided with a Skyhawk. While the Skyhawk crew had to eject, the Eagle crew managed to land their crippled aircraft, whose entire right wing had been torn off!" |
I was an IT intern at Mac in 1990. I'll always remember that was the summer before Desert Shield because C130s dropped by to pick up all their extra Pegasus engines (used in AV-8B Harriers) for use as spares for Marine birds in the field.
Anyway, at the end of the summer, my boss (who had helped design F-15 components prior to transitioning into IT) set me up with a buddy on the production line for a couple of days of watching 'em build 15s and 18s. I saw a two takeoffs as you described -- I was told that the test pilots did that on just about every first flight.
Best/worst/too old/whatever.
The F-15 was, quite simply, the most beautiful aircraft ever flown and will hold that title forever. Graceful and elegant, like a swan, it owned the skies for 30 years and still is better than everything except the JSF amd F-22.
And the latter 2 may be more effective, but the F-15 will always be remembered as master of the sky for her day and a beauty forever.
She has some life left, since who can afford her only rivals?
The F15's tiles don't seem to fall off quite as often.
Bring one in from 200 miles up and we'll see how it does.
I remember when these puppies made their debut at Langley Air Force Base. I saw one go screaming by a couple hundred feet off the ground, do a couple of barrel rolls, then go ballistic. Awsome sight. All jokes aside, it was and is still a fine machine.
Time share???
Ahhh, a bird of prey.
Yeah, it would make a dandy crop duster!
mmmmmmmmm still here, they keep showing and talking about "it"; I don't pretend to know anything about development/procurement/production. If no JSF as you said last year then what do the Navy and Marines do. Not another 18 upgrade I'm sure.
That is what he is talking about, post 4.
I lived at RAF Lakenheath a few years ago; OK, quite a few years ago.
Ahhh, points to discuss. I can see why you would say it ain't gonna make it operational. As a civilian I keep seeing this neat plane every now and then and ??what?? Techwise I think they can do the engine/vectoring thing; need mogas or nogas.
Did that a long time ago!
F104, nothing close.
F104, nothing even comes close!
A repost!
The F-15 is my favorite fighter of all time. Spent many nights in Germany in the late 1970's admiring their lines as I drove the flight line guarding them.
Was able to see many night-time full-afterburner take-offs...what a beautiful sight!
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