PAS11: Boeing’s iron Eagle

DoD Buzz ^ | June 21st, 2011 | Philip Ewing

[sukhoi-30mki]

PAS11: Boeing’s iron Eagle

By Philip Ewing Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 4:00 pm

PARIS — Boeing could continue manufacturing variants of its F-15 Eagle — a fighter first flown in 1972 — all the way until the 2020s, the president of its military aircraft division confirmed Tuesday. If Boeing can lock in deals with the air forces of Saudi Arabia and South Korea, it could make new investments “for the long term,” Chris Chadwick told reporters, to make its Eagles or Silent Eagles as cheap and easy to produce as they’ve ever been.

At stake are a total of about 144 aircraft — the potential for around 84 for the Saudis and some 60 for the South Koreans — and Chadwick said Boeing is making a pitch very similar to the one it makes for its F/A-18 Super Hornet: The Eagle may not be the newest bird in the sky, but customers can get a familiar fighter for predictable costs, and both the Saudis and the South Koreans will get the convenience of commonality with their existing, older fleets of F-15s.

Boeing is at war with Lockheed over the South Korean fighter deal, but it could have the edge with the Saudis, who are said to like the Silent Eagle. Chadwick said he had no information about that, but he did say the discussions he’s seen between the Saudis and the U.S. government, which would be the go-between on a sale, “have been very positive.”

Boeing’s strategy of keeping its production lines going as long as possible, then offering lower-cost aircraft, which keeps the production lines going, which enables it to offer more lower-cost aircraft — et cetera — is a keystone for the aerospace’s giant’s portfolio. Chadwick also said that Boeing has plenty of new work, too, including the Air Force’s KC-46, which drew calls from international customers “within minutes” of DoD’s announcement earlier this year, because other air forces want to fly the same tanker as the Americans. But the older jets, like Eagles and Hornets, remain profitable because the company has learned how to crank them out in large volumes.

So does that mean that Boeing could sell Eagles to the U.S. Air Force? If it asked for them, sure, Chadwick said, but he acknowledged the Air Force is locked in to the F-35 and he didn’t expect more American sales of F-15s. However, he said there is the possibility that the Air National Guard may want to replace some of its F-15s, but it hasn’t asked for any new jets yet.

[sukhoi-30mki]

[I cannot think of a name]

“Boeing’s iron Eagle”

Just rubs me the wrong way.

McDonnell Douglas’ Iron Eagle

John Boyd’s Iron Eagle

Boeing’s only real contribution was buying it. (and I have nothing against Boeing)

[pfflier]

Same deal with the “Lockheed Martin” F-16. It was General Dynamics all the way. We designed and built a great fighter. L-M bought it.

[AFreeBird]

Too bad Cheney killed off the Tomcat.

[Sequoyah101]

What we OUGHT to do is 229 up engine our 220s and sell them to be replaced with F-15SEs. I know where there are a few starter squadrons.

SKan the F-35 and move ahead. While at it SK L-M fighters and move on.

[itsahoot]

Same deal with the “Lockheed Martin” F-16. It was General Dynamics all the way.

I guess you don't remember the General Dynamics had no clue how to fabricate Titanium? Lyndon Johnson, went to court to force shared technology in order for GD to even think about building.

[pfflier]

That was before my time.

I can tell you that we taught McDonnell Douglas how to make Tomahawk cruise missiles and that we did a really good job manufacturing composites for the F-16, the DC-10, the B-767 and we took a dying tank program from Chrysler and made the M-1 what it is.

[OA5599]

Agreed. That plane was never allowed to show its true potential until it was too late. 14 years in service before getting the engines Grumman called for? 20 years in service before the navy completed its air to ground weapons delivery capabilities? And the navy never bothered to upgrade the F-14 from Sparrow to AMRAAM capability like the F/A-18 or the USAF did with the F-15 & F-16.

It can/could fly farther and faster than any version of the Hornet, land at a lower speed, carry as much ordnance, had a more powerful radar, and despite its reputation to the contrary, could out-turn any of the teen series fighters.

But the Hornet is cheaper and easier to maintain and fly. Hell, they’re not allowed to launch a Hornet from the deck until the pilots hands are shown to be OFF the stick!