The new F-15 combat aircraft that Boeing is pitching to the U.S. Air Force would host of new weapons, including anti-ship missiles, according to US based Defence One magazine.
The Air Force and Boeing have been talking about how new F-15Xs would be cheaper to operate than the current fleet of F-15s. The X variant would benefit from upgrades funded by countries who have bought F-15s: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore and Republic of Korea. Compared to the Air Force’s existing F-15s, the new ones would have better flight controls, displays, and radars, and more powerful engines that allow the planes to carry a larger payload.
The new F-15X would have just one seat. Large digital display screens would replace the analogue dials inside older F-15s. The planes could carry all of the existing equipment, like targeting pods, used across the existing Eagle fleet. The F-15X will also be able to carry anti-ship weapons that customers have paid to test and install. In all, the plane could carry 29,000 pounds of weapons.
The additional weapons would allow the plans to fly new missions. It is expected to cost about $27,000 per hour to fly the F-15X. That’s about $5,000 less than an F-15E.
The F-15X is being pitched to complement existing F-22 Raptors and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, to handle various missions where there is little risk of being shot down by surface-to-air missiles.
