WASHINGTON — The F-15EX Eagle II — the newest model of the Air Pressure’s fourth-generation fighter — fired a weapon for the primary time final week.
The fighter, a part of the fortieth Flight Check Squadron and flown by experimental check pilots Maj. Benjamin Naumann and Maj. Mark Smith, on Jan. 25 efficiently fired an AIM-120D missile at a BQM-167 goal drone over the Gulf of Mexico, the Air Pressure mentioned in a launch Monday.
The F-15EX, which was participating in an air-to-air weapons system analysis program generally known as Fight Archer, discovered the drone with its sensors, tracked it and fired the missile at it, the discharge mentioned. The Air Pressure tracked the missile on its solution to the drone, determined the check had been profitable and minimize the missile’s flight quick.
“This was an end-to-end verification of all the weapons system, which is able to pave the best way for extra complicated missile pictures sooner or later,” Colton Myers, the F-15EX check venture supervisor with the operational flight program mixed check power, mentioned within the launch.
The Air Pressure mentioned the profitable missile launch adopted six months of built-in developmental and operational flight testing.
It was additionally Naumann’s first missile shot. The Fight Archer analysis program typically provides pilots the chance for his or her first stay fireplace, the Air Pressure mentioned.
Naumann mentioned verifying the F-15EX is able to live-firing missiles “is one other step in the direction of fielding the plane to fight items.”
The primary two F-15EXs, tail numbers 001 and 002, arrived at Eglin Air Pressure Base in Florida final March and April, and since then have taken half in a sequence of assessments and evaluations. Final Might, the fighters deployed to Alaska for the Northern Edge joint coaching train, the place the Air Pressure studied how properly it might carry out when its GPS, radar and different methods face jamming threats.
These survivability assessments helped the Air Pressure discover and repair issues with the fighter’s Suite 9 software program system, the Air Pressure mentioned.
And in October, the F-15EXs took half in a weeklong operational check at Nellis Air Pressure Base in Nevada, the place they flew alongside F-15Cs and Es and examined its Eagle Passive/Energetic Warning and Survivability System, or EPAWS, digital warfare system.
Myers mentioned within the launch the October train confirmed the F-15EX “nonetheless wants extra improvement,” however that the fighter is able to taking over its air dominance position.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter at Protection Information. He beforehand reported for Army.com, masking the Pentagon, particular operations and air warfare. Earlier than that, he lined U.S. Air Pressure management, personnel and operations for Air Pressure Instances.