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Strike Eagle load out question

Having perused the configurations described on the following, excellent web site:

http://www.f-15e.info/joomla/en/weapons/loadout-configurations

… it has occurred to me that the capabilities of the F-15E as a ‘bomb truck’ are pretty phenomenal – far better than most competitors except the heavier Su-34. Part of this is no doubt due to the remarkably efficient packaging of the US JDAM series of PGMs, but even if dumb bombs are considered, only the Flanker family with compact M54 series weapons on MERs comes close. Otherwise, competing airframes can only match the Eagle at the expense of range, variously due to either a lack of wet hardpoints, a conflict between wet and heavy pylons or a narrower margin between MTOW and OEW.

Interestingly the picture seems to change completely when carrying lighter but bulkier payloads, such as specialised AGMs like the HARM, Harpoon and JASSM. Now it is the F-15E which suffers from a fuel/weapons conflict, as loads this unwieldy can apparently be mounted only on the wet pylons. This is fine from the USAF’s point of view, as it can (& has) basically delegate(d) SEAD to the F-16 fleet, cruise missile strike to its strategic bombers and anti-ship to the US Navy, but other countries are obviously not so lucky. Because of the smaller size of their forces they lack such diversity in aircraft types and the F-15 has to take on the aforementioned missions as well, as in South Korea, Singapore and (soonish) Saudi Arabia.

So, here comes the question – can the Strike Eagle really carry stores like the Harpoon, HARM or JASSM only on stations STA-8/5/2 or is it possible to also fit them on RCT/LCT-2 (see schematic below)? This would improve things considerably.

http://www.f-15e.info/joomla/images/stories/illustrations/weapons/weapons_stores/external_stores_ag.jpg

I suppose an adapter would be required (think Tornado GR.1 or Tornado ECR with Sea Eagle and HARM on the underfuselage rails, respectively), is the problem merely that none exists so far?

http://www.deagel.com/library1/medium/2006/m02006120200279.jpg

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/german-tornado-ecr-fairford-91.jpg

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By: rudnei - 8th December 2020 at 18:33

Hi,

I have two questions related to the F-15I Ra’am variant:

1) How many Popeye missiles can it carry?

2) What would be the range (approximate) with two AMRAAMs, two Python IV AAMs and (say) 2 Popeyes (if it can carry two), plus all internal fuel possible with this loadout?

Regards,

Rudnei

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