The US Air Force was eager to improve the ability of a fighter jet in the 1980s the F-15. The fighter will be given weapons and a new sensor with the hope of being able to maintain excellence air to air combat against the Chinese fighter jet belonging to class A-10.
Efforts include additions to the current electronic warfare technology, super high-speed computers, systems infrared search and track enemy targeting, increased capacity and network upgrade weapons capability.
“The Air Force plans to keep the fleet of F-15 in service until the mid-2040’s. Many of the F-15 system comes from 1970 and should be increased if the airplane wants to keep operating effectively. Various upgrades will be complete in early 2021 for the F-15C AESA (Active electronically scaned Array) and the end of 2032 to upgrade various electronic warfare, “said Air Force spokesman Maj. Rob Leese told Scout Warrior recently.
The Air Force currently operates about 400 F-15C, D and E. The upgrade is one of them because of the increased capabilities of China revealed in a report to Kongrespada 2014. The report cited China’s rapid technological progress and narrowing the margin of American air superiority massively since 1980.
For example, the report said that the F-15 in the 1980s is far superior to China’s J-10.
However, technical advances in recent years China has considerably narrowed the gap that makes the J-10 could now be said to be comparable to the US F-15.
The Air Force and Boeing believe that the ongoing upgrades to the F-15 will ensure that this equality does not happen and will ensure the F-15 remains superior.
Among the upgrades are ongoing efforts to equip the F-15 with the world’s fastest computer, called the Advanced Display Core Processor, or ADCPII.
“The computer is capable of processing 87 billion instructions per second, translating into a mission processing capability faster and more reliable for aircrew,” said Boeing spokesman Randy Jackson told Scout Warrior.
F-15 also received a protective technology to enemy fire with a system called Eagle Passive Active Warning System Survivability.
“This allows the air to identify threats and actively against threats through evasion, fraud or jamming techniques,” said Mike Gibbons, Vice-President of Boeing F-15 Program.
Gibbons added, targeting and tracking technology is also being integrated into the F-15 termask additional passive sensor distance is called Infrared Search and Track, or IRST.
The technology is also being engineered from the F / A-18 Super Hornet Navy. This technology can detect heat, often called infrared emission, enemy aircraft.
“This system can simultaneously track multiple targets and provide air to the targeting capabilities are very effective, even when encountering advanced threats equipped with radar jamming technology,” the Navy official said.
IRST also provide alternative targeting systems of air-to-air in a high threat environment electronic attacks.
F-15 is also being engineered to have extra speed and range, along with weapons capability. Ditingkatakn weapons capability will be doubled from 8 to 16 guns. The aircraft will also be capable of firing the AIM-9X missiles or AIM-120.
In addition, the upgrade includes adding an increased ability to integrate or accommodate new weapons systems that arise in the future.
