Question on aircraft range

• huaichien

  5 Aug 06, 17:58

  Please help me understand a little on aircraft range.
  
  According to Wikipedia, a F-15 with full tanks, external tanks and CFT has a range of roughly 5,500km.
  The distance between Singapore and Tokyo is roughly 5,500km.
  The distance between Singapore and Hong Kong is roughly 2,500km.
  
  So does the F-15's range of 5,500km mean it can fly from Singapore to Tokyo and back. Or does it mean it can only fly to Hong Kong and back?
  
  And does the stated range mean it is flying clean?
• calvin2224

  5 Aug 06, 23:16

  This is definitely fly-clean and in a straight line too and optimum speed/altitude. Combat radius is a different thing altogether.
• beavan

  6 Aug 06, 01:00

  not to mention afterburners and all when combat starts
• Shotgun

  6 Aug 06, 22:39

  If I am not mistaken, the range is when the aircraft is flying in L/D Max.
  
  That is, high altitude for low drag, throttled to most km per lb of fuel burnt.
  
  More weapons, more drag+weight, lesser range.
  
  It doesn't mean the the F-15 is inferior if its range is measured in such "optimal" conditions, without combat load. For another aircraft to carry the same amount of combat load, it would probably have half the F-15E's combat range with the same load.
  
  
• huaichien

  6 Aug 06, 23:03

  So range means the distance it can fly one-way?
• Manager433

  6 Aug 06, 23:26

  Let me simplify this. F15SG can hit any target as far as Malaysia/Thai border and back . All without the need of mid air refuel.
  
  
• LazerLordz

  6 Aug 06, 23:47

  With refueling, our Vipers can reach Vietnam and Hainan I think..
• Shotgun

  7 Aug 06, 00:23

  Now why would we wanna go Hainan? Buy chicken rice?
  
  F-16 + CFT + ext fuel tanks have pretty good ferry range. Unfortunately, not much in flight entertainment... and the seat is rather uncomfortable. The Viper's inclined seat is known to cause neck and shoulder problem if the pilot's straining to look around while pulling G's.
• MRLiao

  7 Aug 06, 00:27

  Base on the info about the F15I Ra'am which is similar to the F15SG.
  
  The indicative range for F15I is about 4,450 km.
  
  http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/aircraft/f-15i/F-15I.html
  
  I think the F15SG can reach Hubei and back without mid-air refueling.
• insouciant

  7 Aug 06, 11:15

  Originally posted by huaichien:

  So range means the distance it can fly one-way?

  Since no one has actually answered your question..
  
  In one word: "yes".
  
  Sometimes you will see the phrase: "combat range". This means the furtherest it can fly in a combat situation before it must fly back.
• huaichien

  7 Aug 06, 19:06

  Thank you for the answer!