In a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, US General Frank Mackenzie, commander of the US Central Command (USCENTCOM) said, Egypt is set to receive the 4th generation F-15 Eagle fighters, as per its request.
Cairo will receive the latest version of Boeing’s flagship, Advanced Eagle, which has already been sold to Saudi Arabia as the F-15SA, Qatar as the F-15QA, Indonesia as the F-15ID, and the US Air Force as the F-15EX.
Shedding some light on the defense deal, General Mackenzie said the process and talks on the deal had not been easy and had come a long way in reaching Cairo’s agreement to increase its airspace through the acquisition of the Boeing F-15.
“In the case of Egypt, I think we have good news that we will provide them with an F-15,” said General Mackenzie.
The F-15 Advanced Eagle is essentially a complete revamp of the F-15 Eagle. There are significant differences between variants.
Compared to the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, the Advanced Eagle can carry more missiles. It also has two additional wing support points integrated, boosting its armament carrying capacity of 16 air-to-air missiles, which most commonly is the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
It can also carry 4 AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range missiles and two AFM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles.
Boeing has also provided space for a total of 24 small-diameter bombs, a single GBU-31 or GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Ammunition (JDAM), or two AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles to carry out more accurate airstrikes.
Boeing has also provided an option for an integrated external fuel tank, which extend its operational range.
Its hardware and software have also been upgraded. Boeing has also integrated Talon HATE sensors. The suite of sensors include infrared search and tracking detectors, allowing the F-15 Advanced Eagle to receive sensor data from the F-22 Raptor during a potential joint mission.
The F-15 Advanced Eagle also has an integrated electronic warfare system, as well as a brand new pilot’s helmet with additional features and display capabilities. The F-15 Advanced Eagle is powered by two General Electric F110-129 turbofan engines.
