Posted on 04/23/2019 12:26:14 PM PDT by Mariner
ST. LOUIS Boeing is preparing to build F-15 fighter planes for the U.S. Air Force at its St. Louis County plant even though the military branch hasnt bought the jet in over a decade.
The Chicago-based company began ramping up its F-15 production line near St. Louis after the Air Force submitted a nearly $8 billion budget request last month that included eight F-15s next year and 72 in the following four years. The request came as a surprise to many since the U.S. military has moved toward stealth fighters, such as Lockheed Martin's F-35, in recent years.
Prat Kumar, Boeing Internationals vice president, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the company is investing before Congress approves the budget request so it can respond quickly should the Air Force seek rapid field deployment.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Boeing could just convert the 737 MAX production line to fighters.
F-22
Yup - but the F-35's helmet-integrated avionics and weapons suite - that could turn the Eagle into something even more special.
The F-15c is STILL the second best air superiority fighter in the world. And has never been defeated.
Doesnt that make it the best?
L
“Am I to assume from this that our boys will not be coming home from the ME or Korean peninsula any time soon?”
The usual idea is to be powerful enough that no opponent is fool enough to put it to a test. And to be ready to deal with it in case someone does. China is a someone that we want to keep quiet. So is Russia. You certainly don’t wait until someone decides to get ugly.
If stealth is your primary advantage, you are in big trouble if you suddenly find out the enemy can see you just fine.
(2014)Chinese and Russian Radars On Track To See Through U.S. Stealth
The degree of stealth is dependent upon the radar wavelength used. Our stealth aircraft have low-visibility against high-frequency radar. Low-frequency radar can see them, but can't get a fine enough fix on position to guide a missile.
The new F-15's will be equipped with IRST (Infra-red search and track) (among other things). Low-frequency radar can give them a rough location for their opponent, which they can refine with IRST.
BTTT
“Doesnt that make it the best?”
No.
The F-22 is widely known to be the best, though it has never fired in anger. That we know of.
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