The F-15E "Strike Eagle" expands the role of one of the Cold War's most potent aircraft designs - the F-15 Eagle. Strike Eagle capabilities were introduced in the latter 1980's to provide the F-15 Eagle base aircraft the ability to dedicate services in the air-to-ground strike aircraft role. Since then, the F-15E Strike Eagle has been fielded in a variety of major conflicts, continuing the high sortie success rate found in the original series.
The F-15E Strike Eagle incorporated the latest in air-to-ground capabilities while still retaining the dogfighting prowess of its base predecessor. The addition of a second crew member allows the pilot to concentrate more on the action at hand and makes the F-15E that much easier to operate. Increased payloads and combat radius have all played a role in the development making the "E" model one of the greatest additions to the USAF inventory. Powerful Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines can catapult the F-15 into the Mach 2+ range and in-flight refueling can increase her potentiality even further.
With the arrival of a dual role F-22 Raptor, the F-15 Eagle might be seeing her last decade in service to the USAF, but until then, the system will continue to be used in opening salvos when called upon.
