Posted on 04/29/2010 7:03:43 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
With the size of the F-22 stealth fighter force capped, U.S. Air Force officials are going to muscle up the service’s air dominance force via Air National Guard F-15C Golden Eagles upgraded with advanced, long-range radars.
Because of the larger size of the Boeing F-15s’ radar and the aircraft’s greater flight endurance, they also will serve as “stand-in” electronic warfare jamming and attack aircraft as part of the Air Force’s composite air dominance force that also includes stealthy Lockheed Martin F-22s stationed at Langley AFB, Va.
Each fighter type will shoulder 50% of the air dominance mission now that the F-22 force has been capped at 187 aircraft. The upgraded F-15Cs will carry the larger APG-63(V)3 active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The radar’s long range and small-target-detection capability will allow F-22s to operate in electronic silence with its low observability (LO) uncompromised by electronic emissions.
The first F-15C to be modified with the Raytheon radar was recently declared operational with the Florida Air National Guard’s (ANG) 125th Fighter Wing.
“Our objective is to fly in front [of any strike force] with the F-22s, and have the persistence [because of larger fuel loads] to stay there while the [stealthy fighters] are conducting their LO attack,” says Maj. Todd Giggy, the wing’s chief of weapons and tactics. Giggy was formerly with the chief of weapons and tactics for the 1st Air Dominance Wing at Langley AFB. “That persistence is something we can add that no one else can in the air dominance world.”
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationweek.com ...
Brilliant. Why have stealth when you can see the escorts?
Wow.
what can go wrong
Obama leveling the playing field?
Future military historians will note with curiosity, the date the American kamikaze force was established.
Actually, stealth being a perishable commodity, F15’s upgraded for jamming make an excellent partner for the F22’s silver bullet role.
It actually works, of course they couldn’t extoll the virtues of an upgraded F15 until the F22 program was capped.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, and is better and cheaper than relying on an all F22 force.
Yesterday Col. David Hathaway of the 388th Fighter Wing unit announced the Air Force is going to retire 250 aircraft “which will allow us to reshape our force into a smaller, leaner, more agile and capable force for the future.”
We have brilliant strategists today, I must say. Fewer aircraft means more capability. Highly visible aircraft leading billion dollar stealth fighters means better air dominance.
I’m not a military strategist, but it sure seems like the whole military command has swallowed huge fatal gulps of Obama-Ade. This is frightening stuff.
Do you really think that this means F15s flying wing to wing with F22s?
This is actually a very good idea that increases mission survivability.
Relax, these boys know what they are doing.
As if you’ve never seen Stephen Trimble write a story in his blog The DEW Line, then see the same article in Flight.
The SEAD mission is strengthened with a fighter as well as a jammer in the F-15C.
The EA-6B is long in the tooth and has less performance than the F-15C provides as well as no defensive armament. So, the package of F-15Cs and F-22s is more air combat capable thereby more mission compatible and survivable...in theory.
Why not just upgrade them to F-15s as well? Would help a little more.
Wing-to-Wing? Of course not! The article says they are tail-to-nose.
Just 6 minutes ago another FRiend posted “U.S. Navy subs going coed.” Obama cancels F22. Coed subs. Repeal DADT. High RCS escorts on F22s.
Pardon me if I DO NOT agree these people know what they are doing. I used to hold them all in the highest regard, but they all seem to be political hacks no different than the slimeballs in Congress.
>the Air Force is going to retire 250 aircraft “which will allow us to reshape our force into a smaller, leaner, more agile and capable force for the future.”<
Sounds like the same logic used in Obamacommiecare. Add 30 Million people and the costs go down. LOL
Yep...Obama ‘rithmetic
We have some real jackasses running things these days.
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