Boeing's new F-15SE as alternative to over-priced F-35
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Boeing announced new F-15 Stealth as a solution for countries having budget constraints when considering a fleet of the fifth generation F-35 platform - which will run the risks of increasing costs over the years when numbers ordered are reduced.
Will Singapore favor this new option which Boeing is offering to current customers at a special price for conversions of new F-15E ordered ?
Boeing unveils upgraded F-15 Silent Eagle with fifth-generation features
www.flightglobal.com ^ | 17/03/09 | Stephen TrimblePosted on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 4:43:19 AM by Freeport
Boeing today unveiled a new F-15 prototype aimed at the international market with such "fifth-generation" add-ons as radar absorbent coatings, internal weapons carriage and integrated digital avionics, plus featuring a distinctive V-tail.
Improving the fourth generation fighter’s profile on air-to-air radar is Boeing’s key goal for the F-15SE, which the company plans to offer to five foreign countries with an estimated market for 190 orders.
Radar absorbent materials added to leading edges are designed to soften the F-15SE’s head-on radar signature. Canting both horizontal stabilizers by 15 degrees is intended to reduce radar returns to the side.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2208535/posts
The Stealthy F-15 Battles The F-35
by James Dunnigan
April 25, 2009Boeing recently unveiled its newest 5th generation fighter the, F-15SE (Silent Eagle) which could well be a F-35 killer on the export market. The aircraft is essentially an F-15 with improved radar and avionics and a modified airframe to add stealth (resistance to radar detection). Conformal fuel tanks mounted underneath the airframe create two internal weapons bays. Each bay has two stores hard points; an upper swing out weapons rack and a lower trapeze with separate doors. The trapeze can carry a 1000 pound JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) or an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile). The upper swing out weapon rack can be fitted with a rail to mount an AMRAAM or smaller AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. It also can be fitted with a 500 pound bomb. All four hard points can carry two SDBs (Small Diameter Bomb) each.
Apart from the internal weapons bays, the major retrofit to the airframe is the two tail fins canted 15 degrees outwards to eliminate nose ballast and the trim, reducing the radar cross section towards the sides. The aircraft’s frontal radar signature has been further softened out by using radar absorbent coatings to the airframe, particularly to the leading edges. Boeing claims the end-result is an aircraft that can match the frontal-aspect stealth profile of any fifth generation fighter in configurations cleared by the US government for export release. The US government has very strict regulations on export of aircraft with low radar signature. For an example the USAF’s primary air superiority stealth fighter the Lockheed Martin F-22 is not cleared for export. Boeing acknowledges the F-15SE’s stealth improvements do not help against ground-based radar systems, which are critical for waging offensive strikes against opponents armed with surface to air missile systems. Lowering the F-15SE’s thermal signature - a critical stealthy feature for the F-22 - is also not part of Boeing’s plans. But it says the F-15SE is aimed at international customers who are more likely to use the aircraft for defensive, counter-air operations where the aircraft would be harder to detect by airborne radar of an enemy aircraft.
Another key feature of the F-15SE is its electronic warfare system. Boeing has selected the BAE Systems digital electronic warfare system (DEWS), which includes a digital radar warning receiver, digital jamming transmitter, integrated countermeasures dispenser and an interference cancellation system. This enables the aircraft to continue to jam enemy radars even as its own radar and radar warning receiver (RWR) continues to function. The main sensor for the aircraft will be the Raytheon APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
Boeing’s estimated cost for a new aircraft is $100 million, including spares and training. However, if the existing F-15E customers want to retrofit their aircraft to the F-15SE standard, the company would undertake same at a much lesser cost. Boeing plans to offer the aircraft initially to Israel, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, with all being current F-15 customers.
The unique feature of all the improvements is that the aircraft can be quickly reconfigurable to its former non stealthy standard. With its new sensors and the Electronic Warfare suit plus it’s 14 ton payload makes it a front runner in the non stealth multi-role fighter market at any case.
Although Boeing doesn’t admit the implications of the arrival of the F-15SE on the export market for the F-35, the shrinking defense budgets of many counties who were potential customers for the F-35 may be attracted to the new aircraft. Already two customers on the F-35 prospect list (Israel and Singapore) are on the list of potential customers for the F-15 SE, and a third, Japan is due to make a request for proposals for its F-X fighter program. The F-35 still being under the specification and over-budget adds more weight in to the Boeing’s prospects. Independent analysts also see potential markets for the SE in Taiwan and in other Middle East countries such as UAE and Kuwait. However according to Boeing, USAF the largest F-15 operator, still is not an “official” sales target. -- Chaminda Perera
http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/The-Stealthy-F-15-Battles-The-F-35-4-25-2009.asp
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The F-35's "stealthiness" is effective against ground radar as well. The Silent Eagle's is primarily effective against airborne radar and not effective against ground radar.
So I guess the Silent Eagle is still not as effective as the F-35 since it cannot steathily approach its ground target.
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i thought Boeing wanted to extend the life line of the F-15 series.
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With the improvements made to the F-15E that result in the F-15SE - there is hope for the life of this platform to be extended.
Boeing is aware of the limitation of the Silent Eagle's ability to avoid ground radar detection as seen in its statement made:-
"Boeing acknowledges the F-15SE’s stealth improvements do not help against ground-based radar systems, which are critical for waging offensive strikes against opponents armed with surface to air missile systems.
Lowering the F-15SE’s thermal signature - a critical stealthy feature for the F-22 - is also not part of Boeing’s plans.
But it says the F-15SE is aimed at international customers who are more likely to use the aircraft for defensive, counter-air operations where the aircraft would be harder to detect by airborne radar of an enemy aircraft."
The F-35 sold to Australia, Britain and Canada - and some NATO allies in the EU, will probably differ to the F-35 offered to Israel, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Korea, Japan, and Singapore - (for reasons cited in the referenced report).
If will be pointless for Singapore to purchase the F-35 if the plane is offered with degraded technology that does not provide a quantum leap from what has been installed into the F-15SG.
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Well, we don't know whether the "Degraded" level will be lower than that of the SG or SE. Heck, I for sure don't know since I don't work for Boeing.
I think I shall place a bit of faith in our acquisition process that they will not get conned, in the event the F-35s turn out to be too diluted.
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Unfortunately, Boeing will never be in any position to even influence the GAO as to what technology is allowed to be exported - when rival Lockheed has not succeeded to get the F-22 to be exported.
If we guide our views from the past policies that restricted the sale of the F-22 to any country, we can have an idea as to the challenges that US Government will have to face when attempting to balance - what part or level of the technologies can be included into the F-35 that are offered for sale, versus the need to have more F-35 sold to the limited approved partners so as to bring the cost down for themselves.
According to the reports from defense analysts - the US Government is concerned with technology leaks at secondary levels where long time allies are also industrial competitors dealing with potential adversaries - (as in the case of Israel dealings with China and some Soviet bloc countries).
In the end, the criteria will have to be if it is worthwhile to spend so much on an over-hyped platform with specs that do not meet the planned mission profiles against potential threats expected.
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Hmm wat next? F-15SE with redesigned wing, 2 more hard-points on wings, thrust-vectoring noozle, forward canards, built-in laser designator & towed radar decoys
F-15SU Super Eagle
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E f-15SE can be retro-fitted 2 exsisting F-15E as a conversion kit
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Originally posted by spartan_6:
Hmm wat next? F-15SE with redesigned wing, 2 more hard-points on wings, thrust-vectoring noozle, forward canards, built-in laser designator & towed radar decoys
F-15SU Super Eagle
Not much use in additional hard points on the wings, when all the weapons are now moved into internal storage weapon bays to reduce the radar cross-section signature.Some further improvements that can happen:-
An engine upgrade on the F-15SE that is close or equal to the 32,000lb thrust from the F-22 Raptor twin PW F119-PW-100 turbo-fan engines.
Improved avionics and electronic suites to enhance the capabilities even further.
Add improved type of missiles and canons to enhance the dog-fighting abilities.
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E extra hard-point can be use when stealth is no longer needed
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"""The F-35 sold to Australia, Britain and Canada - and some NATO allies in the EU, will probably differ to the F-35 offered to Israel, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Korea, Japan, and Singapore - (for reasons cited in the referenced report).""""
the source isnt official in that artical, so its just conjecture, but at worst in my opinion will be the same physical f-35 for all ..with software downgrading for some, this downgrading can be reversed/updated by the major partners for approved mission, eg, not for neighbour disputes but for a large scale event where all are fighting in the same event