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Thursday, July 22, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

F-15 Silent Eagle passes missile-firing test

WASHINGTON — A stealth version of the F-15 fighter-jet was said to have overcome another hurdle toward development.

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The F-15 Silent Eagle.     
Boeing has reported that the F-15 Silent Eagle, sought by several Middle East states, demonstrated its new weapons bay in a flight on July 14, Middle East Newsline reported. The U.S. company, which produces the non-stealth version of the F-15, said the Silent Eagle fired an air-to-air missile from its newly-designed Conformal Weapons Bay.

"The F-15, CWB and missile performed exactly as we predicted," Boeing chief test pilot Dan Draeger said.


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The demonstration aircraft, called F-15E1, launched an inert AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile from its left-side CWB. Executives said the test demonstrated the bay's flightworthiness and ability to deploy AMRAAM without any loss in performance.

"This first launch of an AMRAAM from the F-15's internal weapons bay opens a new era for the F-15 and for strike fighter capability in the dominance of the F-15 Eagle," Draeger said.

This marked the second flight of the Stealth Eagle in July 2010. On July 8, the demonstration aircraft completed its maiden flight, during which the F-15 opened and closed the internal weapons bay.

So far, Israel and Saudi Arabia have expressed interest in the Silent Eagle. The administration of President Barack Obama, promoting the Joint Strike Fighter, has refused to make the aircraft available for either export or procurement by the U.S. military.

"The F-15SE's internal carriage CWBs will significantly increase tactical options for international customers while retaining all the cost-certain, battle-proven capability of the Strike Eagle," Boeing vice president Roger Besancenez said.

Instead, the administration was preparing a major sale of conventional F-15E fighters to Saudi Arabia. Under the proposal, Riyad would receive as many as 84 F-15s as well as 72 helicopters in a deal with the United States estimated at $30 billion.




Comments


We have to STOP putting folks out of work. Why would you refuse to sell the F-15. I don't want to be un-employed PLEASE Sign and let them buy.

Susan l Huber      2:49 p.m. / Friday, July 23, 2010

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