Old School Jet Retooled to Slay Stealth Fighters

[SpArK]

Old School Jet Retooled to Slay Stealth Fighters​

F-15 and F-22 ​

It’s been just three weeks since China unveiled its new J-20 stealth fighter, and already the U.S. Air Force has plans well underway to defeat the mysterious plane from Chengdu.

No, the Pentagon won’t be buying more F-22 Raptors from Lockheed Martin. Instead, the U.S. military’s main flying branch has turned to an older jet that, with upgrades, could prove to be an even better J-20-killer than the newer, more expensive F-22. That’s right: the Boeing F-15 Eagle, one of the stars of the 1991 Gulf War, is quickly shaping up as America’s main countermeasure to China’s new fighter for the next 20 years.

To be fair, the F-15 and F-22 (and, later, the F-35) will probably usually work in teams. But the F-15, with its better sensors, could prove to be the backbone for U.S. and allied forces in any Pacific dogfight.

The magic is all in the Eagle’s nose. Compared to the angular, stealthy F-22, the totally non-stealth F-15 has a more capacious nosecone that can carry a larger radar. The larger the radar, the more likely it is to detect the J-20, despite that plane’s potentially very small frontal radar cross-section. The F-15 also routinely carries more fuel and missiles than the F-22.


The Pentagon has begun fitting new, electronically scanned Raytheon APG-63(V)3 radars to around 175 F-15Cs dating from the 1980s. In a few years, the 220 ’90s-vintage F-15Es — normally optimized for ground attack, but also capable of air combat — will get new APG-82(V)4 radars, also from Raytheon.

To pay for this electronic transformation, the Pentagon has set aside some of the roughly $34 billion it will save by shutting down several redundant Air Force headquarters and command centers and delaying production of the troubled F-35 stealth fighter-bomber.

The F-15 initiative was important enough to warrant mention in Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ announcement of Pentagon cost-cutting measures last week. Gates said the modernized F-15s would be “viable well into the future.” That might come as a surprise to some observers, considering that just three years ago, an F-15C disintegrated in mid-air, nearly killing the pilot. After that accident, some observers declared the F-15 unfit for duty, for reasons of age.

But the Air Force determined that a poorly made part, rather than age, caused the F-15 disintegration — and that with repairs and good maintenance, F-15Cs could keep flying until at least 2025, and E-models until 2035. “But those are just planning factors,” said Col. Gerald Swift, the Air Force’s top F-15 maintainer. “Right now, there is nothing life-limiting on the F-15. It is a very well-designed platform.”

The sprawling U.S. Air Force base in Okinawa, Japan, will be the main home of the modernized F-15s. The first batch of F-15Cs with the new (V)3 radars arrived in December. By 2013, there will be 54 improved F-15Cs at the Pacific outpost, flying alongside a rotating force of 12-18 F-22s.

The Air Force is working on new tactics to blend the F-15s and F-22s into a single team. As currently envisioned, the F-15s would fly with extra fuel tanks and AMRAAM missiles and with radars blaring, while the F-22s, carrying less gas and fewer missiles, would turn off their radar and sneak up on the enemy for ninja-style jabs. “Our objective is to fly in front with the F-22s, and have the persistence to stay there while the [F-22s] are conducting their [low-observable] attack,” Maj. Todd Giggy, an F-15 pilot, told Aviation Week.

This teaming will get a big boost starting in 2014, when the Air Force finally installs secure data links on the F-22, allowing it to covertly swap targeting info with other planes. Even then, the F-15 will have a better radar and more weapons and endurance, making it the Pentagon’s preferred J-20-killer — and the biggest reason why the United States hasn’t yet lost control of the airspace over the Pacific.


Old School Jet Retooled to Slay Stealth Fighters | Danger Room | Wired.com

 

[Donatello]

I smell desperation on US's part.

What they don't realiZe is that Party time is over for them.

So the US Airforce admits that f-15 is better than the 200 million $ plane they created as the new "Air Superiority fighter?"

You got to be kidding me. Plus J-20 seems more like a strike aircraft, we don't know what China has in plans to send for it's escort.

 

[GareebNawaz]

lol China has got F-22 "raptor" and the yanks a run for their money. SO they will buy more 4.5 gen aircrafts to defeat stealth? Why the hell F-22 is there? To just show off that it has a quality paint job? What about F-35? Thats not enough to counter J-20? Good Job chinese...well done. you havent even inducted yet and looks like your aircraft is better already...at least thats what the first few lines of the article implies.

 

[Sinnerman108]

Some one please tell me this is not a weapon's race

some one please tell me this doesn't remind of the USA VS USSR !

 

[siegecrossbow]

This article, ironically enough, reminded me of the mental masturbation articles that I used to read on Tiexue about how J-10s could be used to defeat F-22s simply by installing larger radars.

 

[anon45]

This article, ironically enough, reminded me of the mental masturbation articles that I used to read on Tiexue about how J-10s could be used to defeat F-22s simply by installing larger radars.

except in this case the US has the background in designing stealth aircraft to make such a threat more credible on their part.

I'd believe a country that has designed stealth aircraft for decades has the ability to defeat them, over those who have not designed them themselves.

Doesn't mean its true, but much like China's anti-carrier missiles are to the US, China would be stupid not to plan for it to be true.

This isn't likely a matter of the F-15 being better, but it may be cheaper to equip with anti-stealth (re J20) capability then buying the F-22, or the difference in capability may be too small justify going for more F-22 instead of upgrading F-15's radar.

Basically it may suitably fill the same role at a cheaper cost.

As for secret Chinese plans, we don't know what the US has secret either.

 

[casual]

bad plan imo. even with a better radar, the f15 will be detected way before the j20

we need more f22s

 

[Jigs]

except in this case the US has the background in designing stealth aircraft to make such a threat more credible on their part.



I'd believe a country that has designed stealth aircraft for decades has the ability to defeat them, over those who have not designed them themselves.

That's the thing. F-15 was never designed as one and there is only so much you can do with a platform that was not made with being stealthy in mind. Unless China is so far behind in Radar tech that simple stealth measures and a more advanced radar is all that is needed to defeat the J-20. At which point you might as well just roll in the F-35 to take care of it.

 

[somebozo]

something doesn't make sense here to me

 

[Mani2020]

initially by reading the title of the article i thought that US is turning back to F-86 sabers to shoot down J-20 .

Oh these silly reporters

 

[Urbanized Greyhound]

These guys should upgrade and test it on F-22 first before making such claims .....they should not underestimate the J 20 stealth capabilities....

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

By Far the US will maintain a military dominance over all, the latest test of the Chinese J-20 challenged that status quo which the US maintained for nearly three decades ... !
Despite the Chinese made a fine attempt but there fighter still needs to be tested in real time combat .To date The F-15s have served there purpose well , they have proven as game changer in almost every aerial combat scenario.

 

[SpArK]

 

[SpArK]

 

[amalakas]

That's the thing. F-15 was never designed as one and there is only so much you can do with a platform that was not made with being stealthy in mind. Unless China is so far behind in Radar tech that simple stealth measures and a more advanced radar is all that is needed to defeat the J-20. At which point you might as well just roll in the F-35 to take care of it.

How come Boeing is saying the SE is as stealthy as the F35?

and if the radar is carries can pick up an F35 at the same range as the F35 can pick up the F15SE then the game is on and on almost equal terms.

Besides i remember the days when there was the debate on if you need the F22 or just upgrade the eagles.. it seems there was merit to both sides.....

hindsight is always 20-20.