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Hello everybody. Today, I’d like to introduce and suggest the F-15SA Eagle, the very first member of the F-15 Advanced Eagle family, to War Thunder. The F-15SA is an upgraded and highly advanced version of the F-15S, specifically developed for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). This Eagle incorporates numerous modern features, including advanced digital systems, to significantly enhance its performance and versatility. First flown in 2013, the F-15SA was introduced to bolster the RSAF’s capabilities by supplementing its aging fleet of F-15S strike fighters, with many of those older models later upgraded to the SA standard.
Key Characteristics
- Multirole strike fighter / jet fighter
- Fully digital fly-by-wire system
- AN/APG-63(V)3 AESA radar
- New F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofan jet engines
History
BackgroundThe Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, originally developed by McDonnell Douglas before the companies merged, was a product of the US Air Force’s Enhanced Tactical Fighter program initiated in March 1981. Later renamed the Dual-Role Fighter competition, the program aimed to replace the fleet of F-111 Aardvarks with multirole strike fighters capable of executing deep interdiction missions without needing fighter escorts or dedicated electronic warfare aircraft. Although the F-15 was initially designed for air superiority, the concept of adapting it for ground-attack roles faced official opposition. However, the F-15E Strike Eagle was secretly envisioned as a versatile replacement for aging F-111s and F-4 Phantoms. Its selection as the program’s winner was driven by its relatively low development costs and the survivability afforded by its twin-engine design.
The US Air Force began receiving F-15E Strike Eagles in 1988, and the aircraft proved its value during the Gulf War in 1991, marking its first major combat deployment. F-15Es have since participated in nearly every US operation in the Balkans and the Middle East, establishing themselves as the USAF’s chief strike platform. The aircraft’s growth potential was realized through continuous upgrades, extending its service life and bolstering its capabilities. Export variants of the F-15E were developed for several countries, including the F-15I (Israel), F-15S (Saudi Arabia), F-15SG (Singapore), and F-15K (South Korea), allowing them to replace their aging F-4 fleets or meet their specific operational requirements.
Boeing also explored more advanced derivatives of the F-15E Strike Eagle, starting with the F-15SE Silent Eagle, unveiled in 2009. The F-15SE was designed to incorporate modern features such as conformal weapons bays for internal weapons storage and radar-absorbent materials to reduce its radar signature. Its twin vertical tails were angled outward by 15 degrees to further lower the aircraft’s radar cross-section. Marketed as the first exportable fighter with stealth elements, the Silent Eagle targeted international customers, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Japan, and South Korea. However, despite unveiling a mockup and demonstrator, the F-15SE project never advanced beyond the development stage and was ultimately shelved as potential buyers opted for other options.
Boeing then shifted its focus to refining the F-15E platform for international customers, prioritizing enhancements over the ambitious stealth capabilities envisioned in the F-15SE project. This effort resulted in the development of the F-15 Advanced Eagle family. The F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) and F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) were key variants from this lineage, incorporating state-of-the-art systems to replace outdated hybrid electronic and mechanical controls with a fully digital fly-by-wire system, thus improving reliability and extending service life. These aircraft incorporated features from earlier export variants, such as South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle and Singapore’s F-15SG, while integrating innovations from the F-15SE. The advancements in these variants laid the groundwork for the F-15EX Eagle II, developed for the US Air Force.
Enter the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) EagleBefore the 1980s, the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) was small in size compared to other Middle Eastern air forces. This began to change in 1981 with the acquisition of over 120 F-15C/D aircraft. By 1993, the RSAF bolstered its strike capabilities with the addition of 70 Panavia Tornados. This modernization continued in the mid-1990s with the delivery of 72 F-15S aircraft, a Saudi-specific variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle. These acquisitions made the RSAF the second-largest operator of F-15s globally, after the United States.
In 2009, Saudi Arabia showed initial interest in Boeing’s F-15SE Silent Eagle, a stealth-optimized version of the F-15. However, Saudi Arabia ultimately opted for an advanced configuration of the proven F-15S, prioritizing enhanced strike capabilities over stealth features.
This decision culminated in a $29.4 billion agreement signed on December 29, 2011, to purchase 84 new F-15SAs (Saudi Advanced). The F-15SA became the first member of Boeing’s Advanced Eagle family. Additionally, in June 2012, a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement provided upgrade kits for over 60 older F-15S aircraft, converting them to the F-15SR (Saudi Retrofit) configuration. These moves further solidified Saudi Arabia’s position as a dominant F-15 operator in the region.
The F-15SA represents a highly advanced iteration of the Strike Eagle, incorporating features from previous export models such as South Korea’s F-15K, Singapore’s F-15SG, and concepts from the F-15SE. It is powered by two F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofan engines, delivering comparable thrust to the F100-PW-229 engines. The aircraft replaces outdated hybrid electronic-mechanical systems with a fully digital fly-by-wire system, coupled with an updated cockpit design that reactivates two additional wing pylons for increased payload capacity.
Other key features include the Raytheon AN/APG-63(V3) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a redesigned wing structure for extended service life, and the BAE Systems AN/ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS) with an integrated Common Missile Warning System, providing superior situational awareness and survivability. Advanced avionics include Lockheed Martin’s AN/AAS-42 infrared search and track (IRST) system, the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), and Link-16 for data sharing. Additional systems include the AN/AAQ-33 Sniper advanced targeting pod and the AN/AAQ-13 Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN). The F-15SA can mount AN/AAS-42 “Tiger Eyes” IRST on the targeting pod pylon, allowing the aircraft to passively detect and track objects that emit infrared radiation of jet aircraft and helicopters.
The F-15SA is equipped for diverse combat roles, carrying AIM-9X Sidewinders and AIM-120C-7 AMRAAMs for air-to-air engagements. For ground attack missions, it can deploy AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER precision-guided missiles, AGM-88 HARM missiles, GBU-24 Paveway III laser-guided bombs, JDAMs, and general-purpose bombs such as the Mk 82 and Mk 84.
Deliveries and Operational ServiceIn April 2013, the first F-15SA rolled out of Boeing’s facility at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Missouri, United States. Initial deliveries to the RSAF began in December 2016, with the final batch of aircraft arriving by December 2020.
The RSAF currently operates the F-15SA across multiple squadrons, including the Fighter Weapons School, No. 6 Squadron, No. 29 Squadron, No. 55 Squadron, and No. 92 Squadron. These F-15SAs continue to serve as a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s air defense and strike capabilities.
Specifications
Boeing F-15SA EagleGeneral Characteristics
- Crew: 2 (Pilot and Weapon Systems Officer)
- Length: 19.43 m (63 ft 9 in)
- Height: 5.65 m (18 ft 5.5 in)
- Span: 13.05 m (42 ft 9.75 in)
- Wing Area: 56.5 sq m (608 sq ft)
- Powerplant: 2 x General Electric F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofan jet engines
→ 258 kN (58,200 lbf) thrust A/B- → 158 kN (35,600 lbf) thrust dry
- Internal Fuel: 5,858 kg (12,915 lb)
- Conformal Fuel: 10,100 kg (22,267 lb)
- Empty Weight: 14,380 kg (31,700 lb)
- Max. Takeoff Weight: 36,740 kg (81,000 lb)
- Max. Payload: 10,400 kg (23,000 lb)
Performance
- Thrust-to-Weight Ratio: 0.93
- Sea Level Speed: Mach 1.2 (1,482 km/h; 921 mph)
- Critical Altitude Speed: Mach 2.5 (2,655 km/h; 1,650 mph)
- Wing Loading: 434.6 kg/sq m (89.02 lb/sq ft)
- Rate of Climb: 250+ m/s (50,000 fpm)
- Service Ceiling: 18,000+ m (60,000 ft)
- Combat Range: 1,270 km (790 miles)
- Max. Range: 3,900 km (2,400 miles)
Armament
- Avionics:
- AN/APG-63(V)3 AESA radar
- Digital Electronic Warfare System
- Common Missile Warning System
- AN/AAS-42 Infrared Search and Track System
- AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Targeting System
- Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System
- AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles
- AN/AAQ-13 Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night System
- LANTIRN Navigation Pod (3rd Generation-Tiger Eye)
- Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System
- Guns:
- 1 x 20mm M61A1 Vulcan (512 rounds)
- Hardpoints:
- Up to 12 Air-to-Air Missiles
- Up to 24 Air-to-Ground Munitions
- Air-to-Air Missiles:
- 4 x AIM-9X Sidewinders
- 8 x AIM-120C-7 AARAAMs
- Air-to-Ground Bombs:
- Mk.82 bombs (500-lb)
- Mk.84 bombs (2,000-lb)
- GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs (500-lb)
- GBU-24 Paveway III laser-guided bombs (2,000-lb)
- GBU-31B JDAMs (2,000-lb)
- Air-to-Ground Missiles:
- AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER cruise missiles
- AGM-88B HARM missiles
- Others:
- Chaff/flares dispenser system
Conclusion | Why it should be in the game
I feel the Boeing F-15SA could be added to War Thunder to represent the F-15 Advanced Eagle series. It is the Royal Saudi Air Force’s most important jet fighter that has advanced air superiority and ground strike capabilities. Its inclusion as a premium aircraft in the US aviation tech tree could greatly accelerate research progression before transitioning into the era of fifth-generation fighters like the F-22 and F-35.
- Saudi Arabian F-15 Peace Sun
- Saudi Arabia – F-15SA Aircraft | Defense Security Cooperation Agency
- F-15SA: The F-15 Fighter That Doesn't Fly for the U.S. Air Force | The National Interest
- https://www.key.aeroSaudi Arabia – F-15SA Aircraft | Defense Security Cooperation Agency/article/depth-look-saudi-arabias-advanced-f-15sa-fleet
- F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) | Thai Military and Asian Region
- McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle - Wikipedia
- Boeing F-15EX Eagle II - Wikipedia
- Royal Saudi Air Force - Wikipedia
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃
