The features of the new F-15IA Eagle II fighters that the US has approved for sale to Israel

@DefAviation ES 8·14·2024 · 22:29 0

Yesterday, the US Department of Defense on Tuesday approved the sale of up to 50 new F-15IA multi-role fighter jets to Israel.

Israel releases photos of its nuclear-capable F-15I Ra’am fighter jets after Iranian attack
The armament of the air forces of Israel and Iran for a war between the two countries

In addition to the sale of those F-15IAs, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) document has also approved the sale of mid-life upgrade modification kits for Israel’s existing 25 F-15I Ra’ams, which will be upgraded to the F-15IA version, bringing the IAF to a total of 75 aircraft of this type.

The F-15IA will be the Israeli version of the F-15EX Eagle II, a multirole fighter aircraft that made its first flight in 2013. The F-15EX is the most advanced variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter-bomber, which made its first flight in 1986. The F-15E is derived from the F-15 Eagle fighter, which made its first flight in 1972 and remains one of the best fighter aircraft on the market today. It is, in fact, a fighter that holds the record of never having been defeated in aerial combat, despite having been in service for 48 years.

The F-15EX, on which the F-15IA is based, is a two-seat aircraft (crewed by a pilot and a weapons systems officer) measuring 19.44 metres (64 ft) long and 13.04 metres (42 ft) across. It is capable of reaching a speed of Mach 2.5 (2,655 km/h), with a flight ceiling of 18,000 metres (60,000 ft) and a maximum range of 3,900 km (2,400 mi) with external fuel tanks. It should be noted that the F-15EX is a very maneuverable aircraft, being able to perform maneuvers reminiscent of those of an F-22 Raptor, as we saw here a few months ago.

Like the original F-15, the F-15EX is equipped with an internally mounted M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm rotary cannon with a 500-round magazine. It has four wing-mounted weapons racks, four fuselage-mounted AMRAAM air-to-air missile racks, and six more that can be attached to fuel tanks adjacent to the fuselage. Its arsenal includes AIM-9X Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, several types of air-to-surface missiles, and bombs of various types, both conventional and guided.

On the other hand, the F-15EX carries the AN/APG-82(V)1 radar that Israel had already selected for its F-15I, so it is certain that it will also equip the F-15IA. This radar was designed to combine better use of the radar with electronic warfare systems aimed at jamming enemy radars. In addition, the US has approved the sale to Israel of 50 AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN target designators for the new F-15IA.

"Incorporating F-15IAs into the Israel Air Force’s fleet of fighter aircraft will enhance Israel’s interoperability with U.S. systems and bolster Israel’s aerial capabilities to meet current and future enemy threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats. Israel will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces", the Pentagon said.

There are currently three countries operating the F-15EX: The United States has ordered 104 units for its Air Force and is now in the process of delivering them; Saudi Arabia already operates 84 F-15SAs (deliveries concluded in 2020), a version of the F-15EX tailored to that country’s needs; and Qatar has ordered 36 F-15QAs, a version of the American model. Israel will be the fourth operator of the F-15EX and will have the third-largest fleet of the aircraft.

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Images: Boeing.