A demonstration version of the F-15SE was first displayed by Boeing on 17 March 2009. The F-15SE will use fifth generation fighter technologies to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS). Distinguishing features of this version are the conformal weapons bays (CWB) that replace the conformal fuel tanks (CFT) to hold weapons internally and the twin vertical tails canted outward 15 degrees to reduce radar cross section. Weapons storage takes the place of most of each CWB fuel capacity. This variant will also have radar absorbing material where needed. The Silent Eagle is aimed at current F-15 users such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea, among others.
The F-15SE is to have the level of stealth allowed for export by the US government. Boeing has stated that this stealth will only be in the range of fifth generation aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II from the frontal aspect. The F-15SE will have a Raytheon AESA radar, and a new electronic warfare system from BAE Systems. This stealth will be optimized for air to air missions (against X-band radars) and much less effective against ground based radars (which use other frequencies).
In March 2009, Boeing formally launched the F-15 Silent Eagle and began to offer it for international sales. The aircraft is capable of carrying both internal weapons and external weapons mounted on hardpoints under each wing. The F-15SE's lower cost compared to fifth generation fighters is intended to aid the aircraft's appeal to the export market. The aircraft would require export licenses similar to the F-35.
Unit cost has been estimated by Boeing at approximately US$100 million, including spares and support. The company has been seeking other companies to be risk sharing partners to reduce its development costs. Studies of different possible levels of reduction in radar cross-section (RCS) are underway. In June 2009, Boeing stated it planned for a demonstration flight of the Silent Eagle in the third quarter 2010.
During August and September 2009, Boeing performed radar cross section testing on an F-15E with different radar absorbent coatings to select a coating for the Silent Eagle. In September 2009, Saudi Arabia was reported to be considering the purchase of up to 72 F-15 strike aircraft. Although the exact variant is unspecified, they are reported to be interested in the Silent Eagle.
Although Boeing has been in tentative talks with South Korea since 2009 regarding the purchase of the Silent Eagle, it is unable to market the aircraft to international customers until it receives an export license from the United States government. The company filed for an export license in early 2010, and received it in July 2010. In August 2010 clearance was granted to export the radar cross-section treatments and electronic warfare suite of the Silent Eagle to ROK. Diplomatic Sources reported that on 6 July 2010, in a face to face meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked US President Obama to expedite the export of the "stealth F-15E" but received no reply.
The first production F-15E (86-0183) was modified to the F-15E1 configuration to serve as a Silent Eagle demonstrator. It first flew on 8 July 2010 with a left-side conformal weapons bay and on 20 July 2010 launched an AMRAAM from the CWB.
In November 2010, Boeing signed an agreement with Korea Aerospace Industries for KAI to design, develop and manufacture the conformal weapons bay for the F-15SE. KAI has previously produced wings and forward fuselages for F-15K and F-15SG.
New build Silent Eagles will be lighter and more fuel efficient than Strike Eagle conversions because of "canted tails, digital Fly-By-Wire and digital EW". This allows them to mount two additional weapons stations on the wings.
The Silent Eagle has been eliminated from the Japanese F-X project.General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 63.8 ft (19.43 m)
- Wingspan: 42.8 ft (13.05 m)
- Height: 18.5 ft (5.63 m)
- Wing area: 608 ft² (56.5 m²)
- Airfoil: NACA 64A006.6 root, NACA 64A203 tip
- Empty weight: 31,700 lb (14,300 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 81,000 lb (36,700 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney F100-229 afterburning turbofans, 29,000 lbf (129 kN) each
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.5+ (1,650+ mph, 2,650+ km/h)
- Combat radius: 800+ nm (720 nmi for stealth A/A mission) (920 miles, 1,480 km)
- Ferry range: 2,400 mi (2,100 nmi, 3,900 km) with conformal fuel tank and three external fuel tanks
- Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,200 m)
- Rate of climb: 50,000+ ft/min (254+ m/s)
Armament
- 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon with 510 rounds of ammunition
- Four internal hardpoints in conformal weapons bays for low-observable capability, or
- External load the same as Strike Eagle's with standard CFTs, including targeting pods and additional external fuel tanks.
Avionics
- APG-82 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
- BAE Systems Digital Electronic warfare system (DEWS)
- Digital “Fly-by-Wire” Flight Control System (DFCS)
- Lockheed Martin Sniper advanced electro-optical targeting system and Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system
- Link-16 fighter data link
