Here’s how Boeing sees the future of the F-15 Eagle.
Whilst the U.S. Air Force explores the possibility to the restart the production of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and struggles to justify the investments in the F-35, Boeing teases the future of one of the world’s most famous and successful fighter: the F-15 Eagle.
Dubbed 2040C or Advanced F-15, the next generation Eagle is Boeing’s (somehow) “cheap” solution to the Air Force need for an increased air superiority capability required to keep the technological advantage against its enemies.
The upgrade of all the F-15Cs includes Boeing’s older Silent Eagle program gadgets along with some new stuff. In the end the F-15s would get more air-to-air loadout (16 missiles instead of the current 11), conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), an IRST (Infrared Search and Track), useful also against stealth planes, a completely new glass cockpit, as well as the Raytheon AN/APG-63(V)3 active synthetically scanned array (AESA) radar (that has been already contracted).
Interestingly, the teaser of the new F-15 shows the same aircraft carrying also air-to-surface weapons and ATP (Advanced Targeting Pod): a sign that the upgrade is also going to have interest the F-15E Strike Eagles.
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Editor’s note: the original video has been removed, here’s an unofficial copy uploaded on Youtube later:
