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F-15 Eagle: Soaring High!
8 December 2023 Development

The F-15 Eagle is a dedicated American air superiority fighter developed in the aftermath of the Vietnam War and based on the experiences gained from it. Today we’ll be talking exactly how this mighty jet will be when it comes to several nations in the “Air Superiority” major update!

F-15 Eagle: A Jet Fighter for the USA, Japan and Israel at Rank VIII

Features:

  • Capable of Mach 2.3!
  • Excellent maneuverability.
  • Advanced ordnance.
  • Countermeasures.
Vehicle History▼

Development of what would become the F-15 began in 1965 after the USAF issued a set of requirements for a new air superiority fighter based on the lessons learned from the Vietnam War. As part of these specifications, particular emphasis was placed on maneuverability in addition to a high top speed. Out of four companies which submitted detailed design proposals, the Air Force chose McDonnell Douglas’ submission as the winning design in 1969 and symbolically named the aircraft “Eagle”. Following the construction and subsequent testing of the first prototypes, the single-seat F-15A officially entered service with the USAF in 1976 while the twin-seat F-15B trainer was already commissioned into service in 1974.

The F-15A Eagle proved popular with foreign operators as well, being adopted by the Israeli air force while Japan even obtained licenses for Mitsubishi to produce a modified variant for the JASDF in 1978. The F-15A Eagle undertook its first combat sortie not under the American, but under the Israeli flag, taking part in military operations in Lebanon in the late 1970s and successfully downing a large number of Syrian aircraft. In the following decades, the F-15 Eagle was continuously being further developed and upgraded, leading to more advanced variants entering service. In total, over 380 F-15A Eagles were produced of which the last ones were retired from service in 2009.

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Meet the F-15 Eagle!

Soon arriving to the American, Israeli and Japanese aircraft trees in the “Air Superiority” major update, the F-15 will become the new top dog of their respective trees, meaning you’ll be offered with an unmatched combination of agility and speed coupled with lethal firepower. So, let’s dive into the details!

Let’s first talk about the engine and performance. The F-15 is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan engines, generating an impressive thrust output confirmed by the F-15’s top speed which sits at Mach 2.3 at an altitude of 36,000 ft (10,900 meters). Thanks to its extremely powerful engines, the F-15 possesses an excellent thrust-to-weight ratio which allows it to quickly climb to altitude but also to recover from energy-consuming dogfights much quicker.

Furthermore, the F-15 features a more traditional fixed wing with low wing loading, unlike the F-14. This, plus its ability to generate lift with some sections of its fuselage, gives the F-15 truly incredible agility despite its impressive size! As a result, this aircraft can perform very tight turns while losing only minimal energy in the process. This means if you enjoy the thrill of dogfighting in its purest form, you will feel right at home when flying the F-15!

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As expected, the F-15 “Eagle” certainly has sharp claws. In general, its payload options are optimized for air combat which is reflected in its impressive air-to-air missile armament, consisting of up to 4 short and 4 long range missiles. Thanks to this, you’ll be able to choose from a range of late AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. For Japan and Israel, you’ll have access to the additional option of outfitting the F-15 with respective domestic missiles, such as the AAM-3 or Python-3.

Interesting: During the mid 1980s, the F-15A was used as a launch platform for the experimental ASM-135 anti-satellite missile.

Although the F-15 is optimized for aerial combat, it can certainly also pounce on prey found at ground level. Apart from conventional 500 and 2,000 lb bombs as well as incendiary bombs, the American and Israeli F-15 can also carry up to 3 x 2,000 lb TV-guided bombs. Rounding off the Eagle’s weapon options is the 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon which can be used to devastating effect both against aerial but also surface targets in combination with computer-aided targeting and the appropriate ammunition!

In your matches by Jan, Marketing Manager: “The addition of the F-15 is going to redefine the meta for top tier air combat. It’s fast, and it bleeds little speed thanks to its extremely powerful engines, but these must be handled responsibly. Remember that a large fuel load makes it physically impossible to do sharp maneuvers, which the F-15 is capable of at minimum load, so take care of your wings!”

The F-15 Eagle is simultaneously arriving at the top rank of three nations in War Thunder when the “Air Superiority” major update is released, and each F-15 will of course have its own camouflage depending on the nation. This blog is done, but there’s still more to come. Keep an eye on the news, but until then, enjoy your matches and see you soon!

You can greatly speed up the research of the Japanese F-15 with this pack:

F-4EJ Phantom II ADTW Pack
F-4EJ Phantom II ADTW Pack
The Kit Includes:
  • F-4EJ Phantom II ADTW (Rank VII, Japan)
  • Premium account for 20 days
  • 2500 Golden Eagles

You can greatly speed up the research of the American F-15 with this pack:

F-4S Phantom II Pack
F-4S Phantom II Pack
The Kit Includes:
  • F-4S Phantom II, (Rank VII, USA)
  • Premium account for 20 days
  • 2500 Golden Eagles
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