The US Air Force will reduce the fleet of F-15E Strike Eagle fighters that can carry the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb by 55%

The US Air Force intends to abandon not only the F-15 C / D Eagle fighters, but also the Strike Eagle. To start

the fleet will be halved.

What is known

F-15E Strike Eagle is very popularaircraft in service with the US Air Force. The fleet consists of 218 fighters, but their number will decrease by 119 units by 2028. The decision is justified by the desire to "reorient costs".

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Fighters equipped with twoPratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E turbofan engines. Starting in 2028, only Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 powered aircraft will remain in service with the US Air Force (pictured below).

Among the current fleet of tactical aircraft of the Air ForceThe US F-15E Strike Eagle has the longest flight range. This is achieved through the use of two conformal fuel tanks. In terms of carrying capacity, the Strike Eagle is also in the lead.

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The fourth generation fighter can carrya wide range of air-launched munitions, including the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb. The advantage of the aircraft is that it is able to simultaneously carry a large number of weapons of different types. In addition, the F-15E has a chance to become a platform for future hypersonic missiles.

After upgrading each StrikeEagle received a highly effective AN / APG-82 (V) 1 radar with an active phased antenna array. The Air Force is currently working on integrating a new survivability system that will provide improved situational awareness and enhance electronic warfare.

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The US Air Force does not officially name the aircraft whichwill replace the F-15E Strike Eagle. Among the contenders are the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter, the upgraded F-15EX Eagle II, and even the promising sixth-generation fighter, which will appear in the middle of the next decade.