Free Republic

Saudi Arabia said on Friday that it had launched air strikes against Yemeni rebels to "neutralise" infiltrators who had crossed the frontier and killed a Saudi border guard. The air strikes from southern Jizan province were to "neutralise the firing by intruders" and to clear areas where they had encroached on Saudi territory, the government said in a statement on the official SPA news agency. Earlier, a government advisor said Saudi F-15 and Tornado jets had begun bombing the positions of the Zaidi rebels inside Yemeni territory on Wednesday in response to a rebel attack on a border post a...

'Father of Su-27' Simonov: F-15 hater Mikhail Petrovich Simonov, designer of the iconic Su-27 Flanker, realized after the 1977 first flight that the T-10 prototype was a dog, a fact he explained to the aviation minister in Moscow. "'It's a good thing, Petrovich, that today is not 1937," the minister replied. That is one of the incredible anecdotes sprinkled throughout a Simonov feature published today in the London Telegraph. The article is a must read for anyone even slightly curious about aviation history. For example, we learn the lead designer's delightfully Russian reaction to Simonov's proposed solution to the T-10's...

South Korea's fighter requirements come to the fore By Siva Govindasamy There is a resurgence in interest in South Korea's fighter aircraft requirements, with the east Asian country deciding on a variety of aircraft as part of an ongoing modernisation of its air force's capabilities. The choices represent a mix of imported and indigenous solutions, with the country trying to find a way to match its operational requirements with a desire to promote the local industry, mainly state-owned Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). South Korea has maintained three levels of fighters - low, medium and high - as part of its...

"Growing security concerns over Gulf neighbor and perennial troublemaker Iran are pushing the Saudis to upgrade their air fleet with a particular emphasis on precision strike aircraft," the U.S. defense website DoD Buzz reported. Industry sources said Riyad has been discussing the procurement of up to 72 advanced F-15 fighters. They said the Saudi order could include the purchase of Boeing's latest stealth design for the F-15, titled Silent Eagle. DoD Buzz, citing industry and defense sources, said the Defense Department would approve any Saudi request for the F-15. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which processes requests for major...

A video of the last F-15C Eagles of the 33d Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB after thirty years of service (sad to see them go).

Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 U.S. floated plan to withdraw fighter jets Japan stayed silent in light of North Korea, realignment worries Kyodo News The U.S. government sounded out Japan in early April about pulling out all of the approximately 40 F-16 fighters from Misawa Air Base in Aomori Prefecture, possibly beginning later this year, sources close to Japan-U.S. relations said Friday. As part of the ongoing review of the U.S. defense strategy by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, the United States at the time also told Japan of an idea to remove some of the more than 50...

Saudis Eye Buying 72 F-15s By Greg Grant Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 2:33 pm Posted in Air, International, Policy Saudi Arabia is close to placing an order for as many as 72 Boeing F-15 fighter jets, industry and defense sources tell us. Growing security concerns over Gulf neighbor and perennial troublemaker Iran are pushing the Saudis to upgrade their air fleet with a particular emphasis on precision strike aircraft. The Pentagon is expected to approve the sale as it seeks to counter Iran’s recent break-out as a regional power and quell nervousness among Gulf Arab states troubled by Iran’s growing...

What do you do when a wing is torn off your F15? If you are Captain Zivi Nedivi, of the Israeli airforce, you break off from your training exercise and return to base. You've only got one wing, but you make up for that by flying twice as fast. The F15 Eagle collided with an A4 Skyhawk.

The ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee says the battle to fund more than 187 F-22 stealth fighters is not over, even though pro-Raptor forces suffered a stinging defeat in the Senate this week. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California told HUMAN EVENTS the next F-22 war zone is a House-Senate committee conference on defense spending. There, as ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, McKeon will fight to preserve final bill language to provide for 12 more jets, as the House approved...Gen. John Corley, who heads Air Force Air Combat Command in Langley, Va., sent a...

Defense Spending: The TARP bailout may hit $24 trillion, but the Senate says the F-22 is too expensive to build and maintain. So why are the Japanese so desperate to buy this "unnecessary" Cold War weapon?By a vote of 58-40, the Senate on Tuesday voted to remove $1.75 billion set aside in a defense bill to build seven more F-22 Raptors, adding to the 187 stealth technology fighters already in the pipeline. After some hope the production lines would be kept open, the Senate succumbed to arguments by the administration and others that the fighter was too expensive, too hard...

A U.S. F-15 fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, the military said in a statement. The condition of the two crew was not known, the statement said, adding the crash was not due to hostile action.

The most senior retired military officer to back President Obama's run for the White House says the president is making a "real mistake" in terminating F-22 production. Retired Gen. Merrill McPeak, who was the Air Force chief of staff during the 1991 Operation Desert Storm and who credited air power with winning the war, was the first four-star officer to endorse the one-term senator in his presidential campaign. McPeak traveled with Obama to bolster the candidate's commander-in-chief credentials, much to the chagrin of the general's fighter pilot colleagues. But now McPeak is breaking with Obama on the president's most contentious...

“The reelection of Iran’s president, his grave utterances regarding his will to harm the state of Israel and Iran’s continual effort to achieve unconventional weapons require us to maintain an army that is coiled and ready to spring into action, and an Air Force that is skilled and sharp as a razor, that will stand up to any enemy and remove any threat from our citizens and residents,“ IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said Thursday in an IAF ceremony for new pilots at the Hatzerim Air Force Base.

The Air Force wants to look at arming fighter jets to shoot down ballistic missiles, according to a letter from Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz to the head of the Defense Department's Missile Defense Agency. The June 2 letter from Schwartz, addressed to the MDA director, Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, called for a study of arming F-15s and F-16s, and possibly F-22s and F-35s, with specialized munitions under a concept dubbed Air Launched Hit-to-Kill. Schwartz said a 2008 war game, based in the European theater in 2020, piqued the interest of the Air Force to study the ALHK...

Saudi weighs Eurofighter, F-15 for new jet deal Reuters, Thursday June 18 2009 * Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to renew combat jet fleet * Saudi Arabia may double Eurofighter purchase - sources * Talks held with Boeing over more F-15s - sources By Tim Hepher and Andrea Shalal-Esa PARIS, June 18 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is stepping up efforts to acquire advanced fighter jets to renew its combat fleet amid growing security concerns in the Gulf region over Iran, two sources following the matter said on Thursday. Riyadh is in talks with Britain over possibly doubling a recent purchase...

House defense authorizers are pressing Defense Secretary Robert Gates to consider buying existing fighter jets instead of the next-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to curtail a severe fighter jet shortfall in the Air Force National Guard. During a House Armed Services Committee markup of the 2010 defense authorization bill on Tuesday, lawmakers raised alarm that aircraft shortfalls could present significant challenges to the Air Force’s ability to protect domestic airspace. At press time, lawmakers had included an amendment sponsored by Reps. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) that would force Gates to consider buying F-15, F-16 and F-18 aircraft...

BRIDGETON — For decades, they roared across the St. Louis sky, inspiring awe and, on occasion, rattling windows. But come Sunday, the last Air National Guard fighter jets stationed at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport are scheduled to make their final departure, the result of a 2005 plan that called for the twin-tailed F-15 Eagles to be redeployed to guard units in Hawaii and Montana. The flights mark the end of an era for St. Louis and the 131st Fighter Wing, a highly-decorated unit that can trace its roots in the city back 86 years and whose members included Charles Lindbergh....

IAF mulling purchase of 'stealthy' F-15s Apr. 19, 2009 Yaakov Katz , THE JERUSALEM POST Facing soaring costs and American opposition to the integration of Israeli systems into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Israel Air Force is reviewing specifications of a new and advanced model of the F-15 Eagle, which is claimed to have enhanced stealth capabilities. In March, Boeing unveiled the F-15 Silent Eagle (F-15SE), a new configuration of the F-15 which has undergone improvements and modifications that, according to media reports, give the plane a stealth capability that is effective in evading radars on enemy aircraft, but...

The defense establishment is reconsidering the purchase of American F-35 fighter jets due to the unexpected high cost and disagreements with the manufacturer regarding the installation of Israeli systems in the planes. "This is undoubtedly the ideal fighter plane, and we'd like to have it very much, but not at any price," a senior defense establishment official said. A defense establishment evaluation concludes that the Israel Air Force can maintain its operational and technological supremacy even without the advanced fighter aircraft. This could be achieved by upgrading the IAF's F-15 and F-16 aircraft and buying their advanced models. Advertisement The...

Stealthy F-15 Could Enliven St. Louis Facility Mar 20, 2009 By Amy Butler Boeing hopes to extend the life of its F-15 production line with the unveiling of a new variant to incorporate stealthy coatings and structures. Company officials say the new F-15SE "Silent Eagle" - designed under a secret project called "Monty" - could garner up to 190 sales abroad, especially to nations already operating F-15s. The target market is South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. With Silent Eagle, Boeing is "slipping into the silent cloak of stealth," says Dan Korte, vice president and general manager of...

The Australian think-tank, Air Power Australia (APA), has released another in their series of techno-strategy papers, this time analysing the advancements in Russian-built Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS) (http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-2009-02.html), and what it means in global strategic terms for the Americans. The APA report is direct and unequivocal – Russian radar and missiles have improved to the point where the US fleet of F-15s, F-16s and F/A-18s, as well as the planned Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), are not capable of surviving against these systems and unless the Americans build another four hundred-plus F-22s, they will lose the strategic advantage they have...

Boeing today unveiled a new F-15 prototype aimed at the international market with such "fifth-generation" add-ons as radar absorbent coatings, internal weapons carriage and integrated digital avionics, plus featuring a distinctive V-tail. Improving the fourth generation fighter’s profile on air-to-air radar is Boeing’s key goal for the F-15SE, which the company plans to offer to five foreign countries with an estimated market for 190 orders. Radar absorbent materials added to leading edges are designed to soften the F-15SE’s head-on radar signature. Canting both horizontal stabilizers by 15 degrees is intended to reduce radar returns to the side.

Note: The followint text is a quote: NORAD visually identifies 2 Russian bombers near Northwest Territories February 27, 2008 North American Aerospace Defense Command launched fighter aircraft Feb. 18 and visually identified two Russian TU-95 Bear bomber aircraft approximately 190 kilometers northeast of Tuktoyuktuk, Northwest Territories. This response included two CF-18 Hornet fighter aircraft from 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada as well as two F-15 Eagle aircraft from the Alaskan NORAD Region. The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace at all times and never entered sovereign Canadian or American airspace. All aircraft involved in the visual identification returned to...

LAS VEGAS (AP) - An F-15 jet has crashed in the Nevada desert during a combat training exercise. U.S Air Force officials say the plane went down on the Nevada Test and Training Range outside of Goldfield, Nev. at about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. Two people were onboard the plane. Air Force spokesman Andrew Dumboski says their condition is unknown. The F-15D Eagle is assigned to the 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas. Goldfield is about 180 miles north of the base.

FARNBOROUGH 2008: Why the Eagle stays near the top perch More than a quarter-of-a-century after it first flew and 24 years after its first Farnborough appearance, the F-15 Eagle is still sitting near the top of the fighter tree. Still in service with the USAF and continuing to play a vital front-line role with the air forces of Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, the F-15 is winning orders in competition with newer fighters. Boeing remains confident of future sales and is convinced it can keep its production line open. It says the F-15 offers a range and payload...

1. Four F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighters fly in formation during a sortie over Antelope Valley, California, USA. Photographer: Bobbi Zapka, Chief of Aerial Photo Department, Edwards AFB. Image ID: 070328-F-9126Z-504Link: http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/070328-F-9126Z-504.jpg 2. During Operation Desert Storm (1991) F-16A Fighting Falcon, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-15C Eagle fighter jets fly over Kuwait's burning oil fields. Photographer: Tech. Sgt. Fernando Serna, USAF. Image ID: 071009-F-2911S-013. Link: http://ChamorroBible.org/gpw/gpw-20060914.htm (photo 4)

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE Laughter filled the 33rd Fighter Wing hangar Wednesday afternoon during a memorial ceremony for F-15 pilot 1st Lt. Ali M. Jivanjee. Jivanjee, 26, died Feb. 20 in a midair collision with another 58th Fighter Squadron warplane. The accident is under investigation. “When I look at Ali, I see a very complex man,” said squadron commander Lt. Col. Todd Jaax. He described Jivanjee as a top-notch fighter pilot, a stellar officer, a terrific son and husband, as well as a devout Muslim who played a merciless game of poker. Jaax also suspected Jivanjee’s preference for frugal dates...

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Air Force has cleared 149 older-model F-15s for flight after it was determined that their longerons, critical support structures running the length and side of the fighter jets, are completely intact. Air Combat Command leader Gen. John D.W. Corley issued the “stand-down release” order Feb. 15, officials from the Langley Air Force Base, Va., command said Wednesday. Their release, pending final inspection, will bring the number of A, B, C and D-model F-15 aircraft cleared for flight to 429, out of a fleet of 438. At RAF Lakenheath, England, about 10 F-15s from the 48th Fighter...

Two fighter jets crashed into the Gulf of Mexico during a training mission Wednesday, but the pilots ejected and were later rescued, the Air Force said. Eglin Air Force Base spokeswoman Shirley Pigott said the pilots were rescued after their single-seat F-15C Eagles disappeared Wednesday afternoon off the Florida Panhandle, about 35 miles south of Tyndall Air Force Base. The Air Force has not determined if the planes collided. Weather in the area was clear. Coast Guard Petty Officer James Harless said a Coast Guard rescue jet located one pilot and radioed the location to a fishing vessel, which picked...

2/11/2008 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Feb. 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted shows of force over an enemy compound near Sangin and over a coalition-forces convoy in the vicinity of Tarin Kowt. The shows of force were conducted in order to deter enemy activities in the areas. The missions were declared successful by the on-scene joint terminal attack controller. In Bari Kowt, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles conducted...

Air Force Fighter Fleet in 'Crisis' By RICHARD LARDNER – 12 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) — Years of stress on the Air Force's aging jet fighter fleet have led to serious structural problems that could grow worse even after expensive repairs are made, senior service officials said Thursday. Gen. John Corley, the top officer at Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., called the situation a "crisis" that would be best solved by an infusion of costly new aircraft rather than fixing jets that are 25 years old. The mechanical troubles, most acute in the F-15 Eagles used...

1/9/2008 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Air Combat Command officials cleared a portion of the F-15 Eagle A through D model aircraft Jan. 9 for flying status and recommended a limited return to flight for Air Force units worldwide following engineering risk assessments and data received from multiple fleet-wide inspections. The return to fly order and recommendation applies only to those F-15 aircraft, about 60 percent of the total Air Force F-15 A through D fleet, that have cleared all inspections and have met longeron manufacturing specifications. The order and recommendation follows more than two months of...

On November 2, Major Stephen Stilwell of the Missouri Air National Guard was taking his F-15 Eagle through its paces when the plane did something for which it hadn't been engineered: It cracked into pieces. Maj. Stilwell survived the accident, but the F-15 fleet--America's signature fighter for 30 years--may not. This isn't just some maintenance issue, but goes directly to the question of whether the United States intends to deploy the world's best Air Force or one that (fingers crossed) is good enough. The Air Force has since discovered significant stress fractures in at least eight other aircraft, and ordered...

FRESNO —The grounding of hundreds of F-15C fighters because of dangerous structural defects is straining the nation’s air defense network, forcing some states to rely on their neighbors’ fighter jets for protection and prompting Alaska to depend on the Canadian military for a couple of weeks last month. The F-15 is the sole fighter at many of the 16 or so “alert” sites around the country, where planes and pilots stand ready to take off at a moment’s notice for emergencies, which, in Alaska, include Russian bombers that venture too close.

Air Force inspectors have discovered major structural flaws in eight older-model F-15 fighters, sparking a new round of examinations that could ground all of the older jets into January or beyond, senior Air Force and defense officials said. The Air Force's 442 F-15A through F-15D planes, the mainstay of the nation's air-to-air combat force for 30 years, have been grounded since November, shortly after one of the airplanes broke into large chunks and crashed in rural Missouri. Since then, Air Force officials have found cracks in the main support beams behind the cockpits of eight other F-15s, and they fear...

U.S. ban forces Japan to modernize F-15 fighters 16:58 | 17/ 12/ 2007 TOKYO, December 17 (RIA Novosti) - Japan will be unable to purchases state-of-the-art U.S. fighter aircraft before 2010, and will prioritize instead the upgrading of the Air Force's 40 F-15 Eagle jets, a Defense Ministry source said on Monday. F-15 Eagle, an all-weather tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat, was developed for the U.S. Air Force, and first flew in July 1972. The source confirmed that there had been an indefinite postponement in the delivery of the next-generation U.S. fighter jets,...

Military Strength: For the second time in a month, America's front-line air superiority fighter has been taken out of service. The aging of our air fleet suggests we are spending much too little, not a little too much, on defense.Last Wednesday, the Air Force grounded more than 450 — more than 60% — of the F-15 Eagles it has deployed worldwide. The action followed the discovery of cracks found near the canopy of two F-15s among the 30 deployed at the Kadena Air Base on Japan's southern island of Okinawa. In May, Gen. Ronald Keys, head of the Air Combat...

12/5/2007 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- The commander of Air Combat Command directed the stand-down Dec. 3 of all ACC F-15 A through D model aircraft until further notice. The decision follows additional information received from the ongoing investigation of the Nov. 2 F-15C mishap that resulted in the loss of that aircraft. Gen. John D.W. Corley, ACC commander, also recommended the grounding of all other A through D model aircraft in other Air Force major commands, including those under the operational control of U.S. combatant commanders. Monday's findings from the accident investigation board indicate that a...

With the third grounding today of up to 450 A-D model F-15s, the United States Air Force is in trouble. The math, fate and the stars are lining up to look like a bad horoscope. The USAF, having old airframe problems with hair on them, is now holding Aces and Eights: The dead mans hand. Part of the Air Force plan to get new fighter aircraft into the fleet was to extend the life of some newer F-16s and F-15s and upgrade them with new avionics. This plan came about because the USAF decided to extend production of the F-35...

The US Air Force Boeing F15A-D Eagle fleet is grounded after preliminary findings of a crash investigation show signs of a design weakness. Air Combat Command (ACC) ordered the stand-down until the airframes can be inspected. An inspection checklist is being prepared by the Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center, an ACC spokesman says. An ongoing investigation of a 2 November crash is focusing on potential failure of the F-15’s upper longerons near the canopy seal. Recent inspections found cracks in this same area on two other F-15Cs. A Boeing simulation analysis shows such cracks could lead to “catastrophic failure”, the air...

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Air Force has ordered the grounding of all of its F-15 models A through D aircraft, officials announced Wednesday. Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing has about 50 F-15 C and D models of the twin-engine jet. The decision, made by Gen. John D.W. Corley, Commander of Air Combat Command in Langley Air Force Base, Va., does not include the newest model of the F-15, the F-15E, which are structurally different from the older aircraft. The new grounding follows in the aftermath of the Nov. 2 crash of an F-15C that led the Air Force to ground...

Entire F-15 fleet returning to flight 11/21/2007 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Gen. John D.W. Corley, commander, Air Combat Command, sent a message Nov. 21 to F-15 pilots, weapons systems officers and maintenance professionals outlining the actions the Air Force has taken following the Nov. 2 F-15C Eagle mishap that resulted in the loss of the aircraft. The message reads: (Quote) Airmen On 2 November, the Air Force experienced an F-15C mishap resulting in the loss of the aircraft. The circumstances of the mishap indicated catastrophic structural failure. On 3 November, the Air Force grounded its F-15...

Fox News reported that F-15s were flying again. Most of the USAF inventory had been inspected and were operational/flying again (certified to being flying again). Not all of the F-15s had been inspected though, by the numbers listed for the USAF...

France fills in F-15's role in Afghanistan after crash www.chinaview.cn 2007-11-07 WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- With U.S. F-15 fighters ordered to stand by in Afghanistan, French fighters are providing close-air support for U.S. troops and their allies there, the Military Times reported Wednesday. Since a Nov. 2 crash of a F-15C Eagle in Missouri, the U.S. AirForce has restricted flights of F-15Es and F-15Cs to "mission-critical" sorties only. In Afghanistan, where F-15Es take off from Bagram Air Base, the restriction means that F-15Es sit on combat alert status but are not assigned to pre-planned or on-call missions. In the...

Dubai 2007: Temporary problems leave Eagle’s bright prospects undimmed Although the F-15’s planned appearance at Dubai was disrupted by an accident and fleet-wide grounding, Boeing remains confident that the aircraft has a rosy future. “The F-15 is a terrific platform, and we have only satisfied customers, all of whom come back for more airplanes,” says Steve Winkler, drector of F-15 International Programs. We will continue in production well into the next decade. The Eagle will remain a vibrant part of the USAF for decades to come, with a robust road map for upgrades and capability expansion.” All existing Eagle operators...

NEW DELHI: In what will be the biggest defence deal with US till now, India is now firmly moving ahead to seal the contract for acquiring six C-130J 'Super Hercules' military transport planes for "special operations" at a cost of around $1 billion. Defence ministry sources said the FMS (foreign military sale) contract — a government-to-government arrangement — for the C-130Js will be concluded "soon" since it had been catered for in the ongoing defence budget. "We are closely studying the offer after the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified the American Congress in May. The contract will be signed...

Israel and Japan have followed the US Air Force in suspending flights of their Boeing F-15 Eagles after the 2 November crash in Missouri caused by suspected structural failure. USAF accident investigators arrived at the crash site on 5 November. The Missouri Air National Guard F-15C crashed while engaged in air combat training with three other Eagles. The pilot ejected safely. A video report by local television station KY3 shows the crash site. Wreckage of the aircraft from mid-fuselage aft is visible, including the wing. The forward fuselage is not discernable. The aircraft also appears to be missing its left...

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A mandatory grounding of Air Force F-15s has been expanded to cover those flying combat missions over Afghanistan after a crash in Missouri last week, Air Force officials said Monday. The F-15Es in Afghanistan can fly only in emergency situations to protect U.S. and coalition troops in a battle, according to Maj. John Elolf, a spokesman for the U.S. Air Force Central Command. Maj. Cristin Marposon, an Air Force spokeswoman, told The Associated Press the country's fleet of 676 F-15s, including mission critical jets, was grounded on November 3 for "airworthiness concerns" after the crash of an...

A pilot was able to eject Friday before his F-15 Air National Guard jet crashed in rural south-central Missouri, authorities said. The man, whose name and rank were not immediately released, was flown to a St. Louis hospital. (Advertisement) "He looks like he's in pretty good shape. He has some injuries, but nothing life threatening," said Jennifer Arvin, a spokeswoman for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The fighter jet crashed around 10 a.m. in a wooded area near Boss in Dent County. The patrol said no buildings were hit and no one on the ground was injured. The one-seater plane, an F-15C Eagle,...