Where speed in the U.S. Air Force is concerned, the F-15E Strike Eagle happens to be the fastest aircraft, aside from the Space Force’s X-37B spacecraft. It can fly at speeds between MACH 2.4 and 2.5 or roughly 1,875 miles per hour thus outpacing the F-35 and even the F-22.
The F-15E surely has great speed because of the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 or 229 after-burning turbofan engines. These engines introduce advanced digital technology that allows this jet to go from idle power to afterburner full thrust in less than four seconds. This quick time of transition is yet another contributing factor to the aircraft’s high performance and maneuverability that every fighter pilot wants.
F-15E is powered by either F100-PW-220 or F100-PW-229 engines with thrust output of 50,000 pounds and 58,000 pounds respectively. Due to these high output levels, it has a high thrust-to-weight ratio; the aircraft features low-wing loading. With this, it can make quick turns without losing its speed. The ceiling is 60,000 feet with a range of 2,762 miles with external fuel tanks.
The F-15E has quite a colorful combat history, leveraging years of action on behalf of its predecessor, the F-15 Eagle, which boasted an impressive combined air combat record of 104 wins, and zero losses. The Strike Eagle was built upon this foundation to enhance the overall ground attack capability, thus making it a formidable deep strike asset. It had a rather significant role during Operation Desert Storm, destroying 18 Iraqi jets on the ground, and has also served in many operations, such as the War in Afghanistan and Iraq.
First flown in 1986, the F-15E can sustain nine Gs during complex maneuvers and operates effectively in all weather conditions, day or night. It is armed with radar-guided and infrared-guided air-to-air missiles, a 20mm M61A1 Vulcan 6-barrel rotary cannon, and can carry a munitions load of 24,500 pounds. Additionally, the jet can deploy the B61-12 nuclear weapon.
The F-15E is a two-seater, with the pilot forward and a Weapons Systems Officer, or “Wizzo,” aft. This enables the pilot to devote his full attention to flying the aircraft while the WSO targets the enemy and selects the weapons to be used.
The F-15E would be replaced going forward with the F-15EX, hosting advanced technology with the ability to launch hypersonic weapons. The F-15EXs would follow in combat missions after the F-35s, employing advanced sensors, radars, and battle management systems to execute ground attacks after the F-35 degrades enemy air defenses.
Although it’s a bit older, the F-15E remains one of the favorites of fighter pilots because of its speed and maneuverability. As Dr. Brent M. Eastwood, an expert in emerging threats and a former U.S. Army Infantry officer, said, “When it comes to specs, fighter pilots love performance, and the Strike Eagle does not disappoint.” Also, the F-15E still ranks as the fastest airplane in the U.S. Air Force, outflanking even the F-22.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is an icon unrivaled in military aviation, whose origins were a function of speed and combat dogfighting, yet has moved into carrying that legacy within the arsenal of the U.S. Air Force.