U.S. to upgrade more F-15s with AESA.

[F-15 Eagle]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Boeing Company has been awarded a $130M U.S. Air Force contract to upgrade 16 Air Force and Air National Guard F-15C Eagles with the APG-63(v)3 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The contract, which follows a similar agreement signed in September 2007 for seven aircraft, also includes initial spares and aircraft support. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Boeing is proud to continue partnering with the Air Force and Air National Guard to provide this revolutionary technology to F-15 pilots to give them the best possible set of tools to ensure mission success," said Jim Means, director of Special Programs for Boeing Global Strike Systems. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Raytheon's APG-63(v)3 AESA radar builds upon APG 63(v)2 technology and the hardware advances of the F/A 18E/F Super Hornet's APG-79 AESA radar. It provides significantly enhanced performance and reliability at an affordable cost. The APG-63(v)3 upgrade is critical to maintaining the F-15C's air superiority today and in the future. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The APG-63(v)3 radar is the latest addition to the F-15C. Previous upgrades include a fighter-to-fighter data link, GPS navigation and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, enabling network centric operations while employing the latest air-to-air weapons. [/FONT]

 

[Scorpion82]

130 mln $ for just 16 radars (plus spares & support), sounds very much if you ask me.

 

[F-15 Eagle]

130 mln $ for just 16 radars (plus spares & support), sounds very much if you ask me.

That money could be better used buying more F-22s if you ask me. BUT the pentagon does not want more than 187 F-22s...I don't know why thats just how it is.

 

[swerve]

That money could be better used buying more F-22s if you ask me. BUT the pentagon does not want more than 187 F-22s...I don't know why thats just how it is.

It's less than the cost of one F-22, so unless you think an incomplete aircraft is worth less than upgrading 16 F-15s, it certainly couldn't be better spent buying F-22s.

 

[Ozzy Blizzard]

It's less than the cost of one F-22, so unless you think an incomplete aircraft is worth less than upgrading 16 F-15s, it certainly couldn't be better spent buying F-22s.

here here.. Pluss its effect isnt just for 16 aircraft. Equiping 16 F-15C's means that theoretically up to 16 squadrons (288 platforms) will enjoy the use of the APG-63 (V)3 AESA, becasue you only need one per sqadron and the rest will be able to utilise that single radar for search and targeting through Link 16. Allthough they will probably go 2 per squadron, so 8 squadrons. Considering that I would say this is a bloody good investment, practically provideing all of your ANG units with AESA and all of the combat capabilities that provides for $180m and 16 radars.

 

[Aussie Digger]

That money could be better used buying more F-22s if you ask me. BUT the pentagon does not want more than 187 F-22s...I don't know why thats just how it is.

AS already stated, this amount isn't sufficient to buy 1 single F-22 Raptor...