The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's design in 1967 to meet the service's need for a dedicated air superiority fighter. The Eagle first flew in July 1972, and entered service in 1976. It is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by the Israeli Air Force.

The Eagle has been exported to Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. The F-15 was originally envisioned as a pure air-superiority aircraft. Its design included a secondary ground-attack capability that was largely unused. The aircraft design proved flexible enough that an all-weather strike derivative, the F-15E Strike Eagle, an improved and enhanced version which was later developed, entered service in 1989 and has been exported to several nations. As of 2017, the aircraft is being produced in different variants.

While some of the F-15C/Ds have been replaced by the F-22 Raptor, there is no slated replacement for the F-15E in its primary "deep strike" mission profile. The Strike Eagle is a more recent variant of the F-15, and has a sturdier airframe rated for twice the lifetime of earlier variants. The F-15Es are expected to remain in service past 2025. The USAF has pursued the Next-Generation Bomber, a medium bomber concept which could take over the Strike Eagle's "deep strike" profile. The F-35A Lightning II is projected to eventually replace many other attack aircraft such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II, and may also take over much of the F-15E's role; however, the F-15E has better combat range under payload.

Pictured here is a stunning 1:72 scale diecast replica of a Royal Saudi Air Force Boeing F-15SA Advanced Eagle multirole fighter that saw extensive testing in 2018. Pre-order! Ship Date: April 2025.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-inches
Length: 10-1/2-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "A Sheep in Wolf's Clothing" - The F-15SA, a heavily upgraded version of the F-15S, features advanced avionics, electronic warfare systems, and weaponry, making it one of the most capable aircraft in Saudi Arabia's arsenal. The F-15SA is the most advanced version of the upgraded two-seat F-15S Strike Eagle, and is currently operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force's No. 3 Wing at King Abdulaziz Air Base, No. 92 Squadron RSAF; and No. 5 Wing at King Khalid Air Base, No. 6 Squadron RASF and No. 55 Squadron RSAF.

It is an advanced version of the Strike Eagle, and it was developed to incorporate features from, and even build on South Korea's F-15K Slam Eagle, Singapore's F-15SG, and the F-15SE Silent Eagle. The F-15SA is equipped with a number of enhanced systems and structural improvements compared to the basic F-15S used by the RSAF.

The fourth-generation fighter is powered by two GE Aviation F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofans, the F-15SA employs a fly-by-wire flight control system -- which allows for the reactivation of additional underwing pylons stations one and nine -- as well as advanced cockpit displays and Raytheon's AN/APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The aircraft further features a structurally redesigned wing and a new nose barrel.

The F-15SA is equipped with BAE Systems-developed digital electronic warfare system/common missile warning system (DEWS/CMWS); Lockheed Martin's AN/AAS-42 infrared search and track (IRST) system; a Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) and a Link-16 multifunctional information distribution system (MIDS). The platform can be equipped with Lockheed Martin's AN/AAQ-33 Sniper advanced targeting pod (ATP), as well as the firm's AN/AAQ-13 Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system.

The F-15SA can employ a range of weapons and can be configured for both air-to-air and air-to-surface operations. In an aerial combat role, the F-15SA can be armed with the AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile and the AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The multi-role fighter is also fitted with a single M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon.

For air-to-surface engagements, the aircraft can carry the AGM-84H/K Stand-off Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) precision-guided, air-launched cruise missile. In addition, it can be armed with the AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM); GBU-24 Paveway III laser-guided bomb and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), as well as Mk.82 500lb and Mk.84 2,000lb general purpose bombs.

According to Boeing, the F-15SA can carry up to 12 air-to-air missiles and 24 air-to-ground munitions.