StrikeEagle

Bought for 30g off of Sassapphire Because nostalgia. Little me used to read everywhere including the bathroom. I must’ve gotten it from Dad because he kept leaving books in there too! One in particular was of a variety of aeroplanes. This fandragon is my favourite of the planes in that book: an F-15E Eagle. It was also on the back cover lmao and I remember reading it’s entry day after day. This baby is a variant of it: the F-15E Strike Eagle (because of FR naming conventions not allowing numbers).

This was around the time Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen came out. i was new to this robot thing so I was comparing the F-22 entry (because movie Starscream) to my the F-15E because child boo Decepticon logic (and also movie Starscream annoys me no hate pls).

Originally Skydust, my transformers OC, was gonna be this plane (hence the face plates and elongated nose) BUT I decided to just make her Cybertronian wildlife instead BECAUSE LATER I FOUND OUT THAT G1 and Cyberverse Starscream was an F-15 and in Prime he's an F-16. So no...no OC plane.

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Role: Multirole fighter, strike fighter National origin: United States Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas New Owners: Boeing Defense, Space & Security Developed from: McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle First flight: 11 December 1986 Introduction: 30 September 1989 Status: In service Primary Users: United States Air Force Royal Saudi Air Force Israeli Air Force Republic of Korea Air Force Produced: 1985–present Number Built: 421 (F-15 + variants) Unit cost: F-15E: US$31.1 million (flyaway cost, 1998) F-15K: US$100 million (2006) Variant: Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle GENERAL INFO: The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic-warfare aircraft. United States Air Force (USAF) F-15E Strike Eagles can be distinguished from other U.S. Eagle variants by darker aircraft camouflage and conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) mounted along the engine intake ramps (although CFTs can also be mounted on earlier F-15 variants). The Strike Eagle has been deployed for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, among others. During these operations, the strike fighter has carried out deep strikes against high-value targets and combat air patrols, and provided close air support for coalition troops. It has also been exported to several countries.

ORIGIN:
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle had been introduced by the USAF as a replacement for its fleet of McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom IIs. However, unlike the F-4, the F-15 was designed for the air-superiority mission with little consideration for a ground-attack role; the F-15 Special Project Office opposed the idea of F-15s performing the interdiction mission, giving rise to the phrase "Not a pound for air to ground." In service, the F-15 has been a very successful fighter, with over 100 aerial combat victories and zero losses in air-to-air combat as of 2007.

Despite a lack of official interest, McDonnell Douglas quietly worked on an F-15-derived interdictor fighter. The company envisaged the aircraft as a replacement for the General Dynamics F-111 and the remaining F-4s, as well as to augment the existing F-15s. In 1978, the USAF initiated the Tactical All-Weather Requirement Study, which looked at McDonnell Douglas's proposal and other options such as the purchase of further F-111Fs. The study recommended the F-15E as the USAF's future strike platform. In 1979, McDonnell Douglas and Hughes began a close collaboration on the development of the F-15E's air-to-ground capabilities.

To assist in the F-15E's development, McDonnell Douglas modified the second TF-15A prototype, ** serial number 71-0291, as a demonstrator. The aircraft, known as the Advanced Fighter Capability Demonstrator, first flew on 8 July 1980. It was previously used to test conformal fuel tanks (CFTs), initially designed for the F-15 under the designation "FAST Pack", with FAST standing for "Fuel and Sensor, Tactical". It was subsequently fitted with a Pave Tack laser designator targeting pod to allow the independent delivery of guided bombs. The demonstrator was displayed at the 1980 Farnborough Airshow.

UPGRADE PROGRAMS AND REPLACEMENT:
The F-15E was to be upgraded with the Raytheon APG-82 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar after 2007, and the first test radar was delivered to Boeing in 2010. It combines the processor of the APG-79 used on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with the antenna of the APG-63(V)3 AESA being fitted on the F-15C. The new radar upgrade is to be part of the F-15E Radar Modernization Program. The new radar was named APG-63(V)4 until it received the APG-82 designation in 2009. The RMP also includes a wideband radome (to allow the AESA to operate on more radar frequencies), and improvements to the environment control and electronic warfare systems.

Having a sturdier airframe rated for twice the lifetime of earlier variants, the F-15E is expected to remain in service past 2025. As of December 2012, the USAF's F-15E fleet had an average age of 21 years and an average airframe flying time of 6,000 hours. In 2012, the Air Force was reportedly considering future options; no replacement for the F-15E is slated. One choice is the F-35 Lightning II, set to replace other attack aircraft such as the F-16 Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II; a "F-35E" variant was studied. It would be complex, thus expensive, to add a second seat to the F-35, especially to preserve its stealth profile; providing for greater range and payload would also be difficult tasks. Alternatively, the role could be covered by a combination of fighter and bomber aircraft, such as the planned Long Range Strike Bomber. The F-15E may also be replaced by a clean-sheet sixth-generation aircraft design.

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