Boeing F-15EX/QA and related variants

I'm not really sure what you are implying by quoting the twitter links. The only source I have for APG-85 being US only is Steve Trimble of AvWeek who is not a particularly reliable source but has been towing the APG-85 US only line for over a year now. He said the same thing on an AvWeek podcast in June.

Not sure what Steve's source is but he most definitely would have one if he's claiming this.

That said, we have this from the US Air Force:

The budget request includes two years/two phases of advance procurement to procure the APG-85 radar which replaces the existing APG-81 radar in United States versions of F-35 aircraft
 
Can F-15EX carry AIM-120 or GBU-39 on its upper CFTs rows? On normal F-15E, I only ever seen that row carry basic MK-82. However, it was said that basic F-15E lack smart wiring for these station while F-15SK and F-15EX both have smart wiring there
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Not sure what Steve's source is but he most definitely would have one if he's claiming this.

That said, we have this from the US Air Force:
The US DOD budget only buys things for US aircraft.

The US has decided to do this upgrade for its aircraft - if the other F-35 operators want the same upgrade that would go through FMS, not the same process as US aircraft upgrades do.
 
The US has decided to do this upgrade for its aircraft -
This is not a budget to upgrade, but funding for new aircraft. The only AP or other capital investment that explicitly calls out for “US F-35s” is the radar. At this point I’m leaning towards production lots splitting APG-85 and APG-81 roughly 60/40 ratio.
 
Can F-15EX carry AIM-120 or GBU-39 on its upper CFTs rows? On normal F-15E, I only ever seen that row carry basic MK-82. However, it was said that basic F-15E lack smart wiring for these station while F-15SK and F-15EX both have smart wiring there
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No to both. The LAU-106 ejector launchers for AAMs only go on the lower CFT row. 4 SDBs on a BRU-61 rack are probably too heavy for the BRU-46 racks used on the upper CFT rows. I think they are limited to 1000 lbs.
On newer F-15s, all the CFT stations are wired for MIL-STD-1760 stores, that's true.
 
No to both. The LAU-106 ejector launchers for AAMs only go on the lower CFT row. 4 SDBs on a BRU-61 rack are probably too heavy for the BRU-46 racks used on the upper CFT rows. I think they are limited to 1000 lbs.
On newer F-15s, all the CFT stations are wired for MIL-STD-1760 stores, that's true.
So maybe 3 GBU-39 is doable? or if F-15 operator somehow bought mbda Spear
 
I wonder if F-15EX could carry a dozen mk 82 JDAM? Fewer munitions than SDB but more bang. I think F-15E was alway capable of carrying dumb mk82s or CBU-87 on all these stations.
 
F-117s have typically been used as REDFOR 5th gen
Recently, F-35 also used as red air

While F-117 probably has superior stealth characteristic, the fact that it lack a radar and datalink mean it is questionable at best as red air
 
F-15EX are very effective against 5 generation aircraft. I wonder whether they tested it against red team F-35 or F-22?


Probably worth noting that the term used is surrogate 5th gen adversary aircraft. I expect that means that maybe US F-35 or F-117 but what that also means is they are replicating the threat. So the profile, EW and RCS within reason replicate what the US believes adversary 5th gen aircraft are capable of. The F-15EX wasn't flying against a USAF F-35, it was potentially flying against an Aggressor F-35 configured to look, act and where possible smell like a Su-57, J-20 etc.
 
 
Because the advanced Es that everyone is buying are (country code) with a second suffix letter, like SA or -J Kai for the Japanese (Kai being the Japanese word for "improved", roughly translated)
Kai Eagles are not related to the Strike Eagle - at last notice, they were all original Mitsubishi F-15J and F-15DJ airframes being upgraded to later JASDF standards. JASDF has not bought any new Eagles since. Their nonstandard designation is still notable, however.
 
It should be F-15G by my account. F-15F should have been the F110-powered Strike Eagles.

Interesting, however the F110-powered Strike Eagle never went into production.
 
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It should be F-15G by my account. F-15F should have been the F110-powered Strike Eagles.
Wouldn't F-15G have been the FOWW, if that acquisition had actually proceeded to procurement.
 
It should be F-15G by my account. F-15F should have been the F110-powered Strike Eagles.
But that would mean admitting that the USAF needed a new F-15 in the age of the F-35 . An EX sounds like an upgrade--much less threatening PR-wise.
 
Interesting, however the F110-powered Strike Eagle never went into production.
Are most exported Advanced Eagles not powered by the F110? I am aware that half the Slam Eagle fleet is, due to South Korea's silly engine procurement scheme.
 
Wouldn't F-15G have been the FOWW, if that acquisition had actually proceeded to procurement.
I did not know that the Eagle as Wild Weasel VI was actually seriously considered - in which case, I do believe it would have been F-15G. The new Eagle would be F-15H by this account.
 
i think the F-15H designation was used for a proposed export version of the F-15E for greece in the late 90's, but they never bought it, instead going for F-16C Block 50/52's and Mirage 2000-5.
 

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