Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle

The Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle is an improved variant of the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle made to the Republic of South Korea Air Force.

Description

The F-15K is an advanced derivative of the U.S Air Force combat-proven F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft being developed for the [[

F-15K of the Republic of Korea Air Force

Republic of Korea Air Force]] (RoKAF). The new aircraft will be more resistant and maintainable than the current F-15E models. The aircraft is being re-designed to carry 23,000 pounds of payload, reach Mach 2.5 and incorporate the latest military technologies. Its multi-role capabilities will enable F-15K to perform air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea missions. It retains the long range feature from F-15E.

The F-15K will include the advanced AN/APG-63(V)1 radar, improved ALQ-135 electronic countermeasures called ALQ-135M, a third generation targeting and navigation FLIR, an IRST (infrared search and track) for air-to-air engagements, the ALR-56C(V)1 warning system, and the JHMCS helmet-mounted displays. In addition, the F-15K will be able to launch advanced weaponry already fielded or under development.

In 2002, South Korea/the Republic of Korea ordered 40 F-15K worth $4.2 billion including a weapons package for its F-X program with deliveries beginning in 2005 and ending in August 2008. The F-15K Strike Eagle maiden flight occurred on March 3, 2005, in Saint Louis. Subsequently, the first F-15K for the Republic of Korea rolled out at Boeing's facility in Saint Louis, Missouri, on March 16, 2005.

In April 2005, Boeing accepted the first fighter jet wing and forward fuselage made by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in Sachon, South Korea. KAI will produce components for 32 of the 40 aircraft ordered by the RoKAF with the final assembly conducted in Saint Louis. The first two aircraft were delivered to the Republic of Korea Air Force during the Seoul Air Show in October 2005.

The F-15K Slam Eagle was the first F-15E variant entitled to carry up to 12 JDAM/Mk-82 500 pounds bombs on the aircraft's conformal fuel tanks stations. The armament options of the F-15K also highlights Harpoon Block II, SLAM ER and AIM-9X missiles.

Specifications

General Characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 63.8 ft (19.43 m)
• Wingspan: 42.8 ft (13.05 m)
• Height: 18.5 ft (5.63 m)
• Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 64A006.6 root, NACA 64A203 tip
• Empty weight: 31,700 lb (14,300 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 81,000 lb (36,700 kg)

  

  F-15K Slam Eagle making aerial refueling

• Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney F100-229 afterburning turbofans, 29,000 lbf (129 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,650+ km/h)
• Ferry range: 2,400 mi (2,100 nmi, 3,900 km) with conformal fuel tank and three external fuel tanks
• Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,200 m)
• Rate of climb: 50,000+ ft/min (254+ m/s)

Armament

• Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon, 510 rounds of either M-56 or PGU-28 ammunition
• Hardpoints: 2 wing pylons, fuselage pylons, bomb racks on CFTs with a capacity of 24,250 lb (11,000 kg) of external fuel and ordnance
• Missiles:
  • Air-to-air missiles:
    • 4× AIM-9M Sidewinder or 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM, and
    • 4× AIM-7M Sparrow or additional 4× AIM-120 AMRAAM
  • Air-to-surface missiles:
    • 6× AGM-65 Maverick
    • AGM-130
    • AGM-84 Harpoon
    • AGM-84K SLAM-ER
    • AGM-154 JSOW
    • AGM-158 JASSM
• Bombs:
  • B61 nuclear bomb
  • Mark 82 bomb
  • Mark 84 bomb
  • CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition
  • CBU-89 Gator
  • CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon
  • CBU-103 CEM
  • CBU-104 Gator
  • CBU-105 SFW
  • CBU-107 Passive Attack Weapon
  • GBU-10 Paveway II
  • GBU-12 Paveway II
  • GBU-15
  • GBU-24 Paveway III
  • GBU-27 Paveway III
  • GBU-28
  • GBU-31 JDAM
  • GBU-38 JDAM
  • GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
  • GBU-51 Paveway II
  • GBU-54 Laser JDAM
• Others:
  • up to 3× 600 US gallons (2,300L) external drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time.

Avionics

• Radar:
  • Raytheon AN/APG-70
• Targeting pods:
  • LANTIRN or Lockheed Martin Sniper XR or LITENING targeting pods
• Countermeasures:
  • Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pod
  • Hazeltine AN/APX-76 or Raytheon AN/APX-119 Identify Friend/Foe (IFF) interrogator
  • Magnavox AN/ALQ-128 Electronic Warfare Warning Set (EWWS) - part of Tactical Electronic Warfare Systems (TEWS)

• • Loral AN/ALR-56 Radar warning receivers (RWR) - part of TEWS
  • Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems ALQ-135 Internal Countermeasures System (ICS) - part of TEWS
  • Marconi AN/ALE-45 Chaff/Flares dispenser system - part of TEWS

See also

• McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle
• Boeing F-15I Ra' am
• Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle