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SOURCE:Flight International
USAF may convert some F-15Cs to radar jammers
By Stephen Trimble
The US Air National Guard may convert some Boeing F-15C Eagles into electronic warfare platforms, possibly adding an entirely new role for the classic air superiority fighter.
Adding a jamming pod on the F-15C's currently empty centreline weapon station becomes possible after a subset of the fleet is upgraded with the Raytheon APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, says Maj Todd Giggy, chief of weapons and tactics for the 159th Fighter Sqd.
"We're actively looking right now at an electronic warfare capability," Giggy says.
USAF officials eventually hope to upgrade with AESA all 176 F-15Cs planned to remain in-service through 2030, but only the first 48 aircraft are funded.
As a replacement for the APG-70 mechanically scanned array, the AESA boosts the range and detection capability for the F-15.
Giggy, however, emphasized that an F-15C equipped with a jamming pod would not become a rival to the US Navy Boeing EA-18G Growler. "I want to dispel the idea that we're looking at an F-15G," Giggy says.
The EA-18G comes with a wide-spectrum and relatively longer-range jamming system, which includes an ALQ-218 receiver system and ALQ-99 jamming pods.
The F-15C would instead have a more limited jamming pod optimized for short-range threats, Giggy says.
The ANG discussions about an electronic warfare role for the F-15C comes after the USAF has twice abandoned attempts to convert the B-52 into a standoff jamming platform.
USAF officials have instead decided to focus on the stand-in jamming role, employing the Raytheon miniature air-launched decoy-jammer (MALD-J), upgrades to the EC-130 Compass Call fleet and, possibly, upgraded F-15Cs.
The USAF has lacked a dedicated platform for jamming radars since 1997, when the EF-111 Raven fleet was retired without a replacement. In 2002, the USAF unveiled an airborne electronic attack system of systems plan, which included the B-52 stand-off jammer, MALD-J and the Boeing X-45C. Only the MALD-J programme survived budget cuts, however.
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