Warbird Information Exchange

I wouldn't go so far so as to call the Strike Eagle a "bomber" -- it is certainly a fully multi-role fighter, though. Interestingly, the F-15A/B were also technically multi-role, having the capability to drop bombs, too, but when it came on line the F-4 was the primary multirole fighter. Over the years, the F-15A/B/C/D community morphed itself into this air-to-air only capability that has -- in recent engagements -- made itself obsolete.

Actually, the -15E was soley redesigned as a "night" bomber, with the capability to air-to-air it's way out of the battle if needed. That is why she is soley used at night for deep strikes, more the bomber roll.

Just my 2 pennies.

Umm...I think you arguing with a guy who has over a hundred combat sorties in the front seat of as Strike Eagle in OIF. I somehow think he would now how it is deployed. I have seen the video of his strikes, looked like daylight to me....

In the pictures those Sidewinders he was carrying didn't look like they were for show either....

Umm...I think you arguing with a guy who has over a hundred combat sorties in the front seat of a Strike Eagle in OIF. I somehow think he would know how it is deployed. I have seen the video of his strikes, looked like daylight to me....

In the pictures those Sidewinders he was carrying didn't look like they were for show either....

right ! my thoughts also:

see: http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... andyh.html

Martin

Who said anything about arguing? I am clearly not arguing, simply making a point.

My observations are that the F-15E was designed as a deep strike vehicle.

Randy, no disrepect sir, it is my sole opinion that is all. Great to see you as an "eagle driver"

My hats off to you sir, from one Air Force guy to another.

Is it not true that your missions, may require CAP, but are mostly designated as strike missions? Mind you in Desert Storm, most sorties were night missions in the -15E that I can remember when I was over there.

Thanks for any information that you maybe able to provide and educate me on!

It's more accurate to consider the F-15E as a sort of "SUV of airpower", although my fellow Eagle Drivers would probably kick my butt for using that phrase.

Yes, you're right that the F-15E was originally designed as a replacement for the F-111 and F-4, and was originally tasked during Desert Storm to perform low-altitude, night deep interdiction bombing missions.

From the get-go, the 15E was also designed as an improvement to the F-111 and the F-4, by giving it great capabilities in both the air to air and air to ground arenas. Indeed, the airplane embodies all the fantastic air to air capabilities of the F-15C, both in beyond visual range combat and in-close dogfighting (with some drawbacks, due to the extra weight and drag of the increased fuel load and bomb racks). It can carry the very same complement of short and medium range air to air missiles as the F-15C, and has a slightly improved version of the F-15C radar. It also has the ability to carry nearly every weapon in the military inventory, from the 250-pound "small diameter bomb" all the way up to the 4,700-pound BLU-113/GBU-28 "bunker buster" bomb.

Since Desert Storm, however, the airplane's immense versatility has given rise to many other missions, all of which have been performed in actual combat from Allied Force, to Enduring Freedom, to Iraqi Freedom;

-- Pure air-to-air taskings (Offensive and Defensive Counter Air) were given during Allied Force and OIF

-- Close Air Support was performed in Allied Force, OEF, and OIF. The jets strafed in OEF (see Roberts Ridge, where two F-15E crews were awarded Silver Stars) and in OIF, too.

-- Forward Air Control, where two guys in the cockpit make a very lethal "fast FAC". A related mission, called "SCAR", or Strike Coordination and Reconnaissance, is a modern version of a mission known as "Killer Scout" in Desert Storm.

-- Battlefield Air Interdiction...a fancy way of talking about SCUD hunting and tank plinking

All of these missions were performed around-the-clock, in daytime and night.

To bring this back to talk about the F-22, let's just say that as good as the F-15E is, the F-22 is in an entirely different class when it comes to air to air and stealthiness. Unfortunately, IMHO the Raptor is not nearly as capable as the F-15E in the air-to-nud arena, which is why the F-22 is only replacing the F-15C.

I actually only have about 35 missions covering about 140 hours in OIF. The good news is that my sorties occurred when an actual "shootin' war" was going on, unlike the guys who are logging "combat time" today consisting of droning over Iraq waiting for some insurgents to pop up and not facing any anti-aircraft fire or SAMs whatsoever.



The vast majority of my combat hours were at night, actually...my squadron was divided into day crews and night crews so we could use the same 48 jets around the clock. I was one of the designated night crews, although many times the sorties were long enough that the sun rose during the mission and I landed in late morning hours.

The video I have is from the IR cameras that we use to designate targets and guide laser guided bombs. It looks like daylight even if it is not.

The F-15E's are based at RAF Lakenheath, alongside -15C/D's. The -15E's were the ones used in that exercise

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Chris Globe
UK
http://www.picasaweb.google.com/Chris.M.Globe