New Delhi: The reports emanating from defence circles of the elite level suggest that the USAF is going to equip the F-15E and F-15EX fighter jets with a new and mightier attack capability.
Lockheed Martin is said to be inching closer to finalise a pact to incorporate the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto these aircraft.
The AGM-158C LRASM is a stealth air launch anti-ship cruise missile developed for the United States Air Force and United States Navy by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
It is derived from the AGM-158B JASSM-ER and was intended to pioneer more sophisticated autonomous targeting capabilities than the U.S. Navy’s current Harpoon anti-ship missile.
This missile will provide the USA with advanced strike options in the maritime domain.
The AGM-158C-3 can cover approximately 600 miles and can currently be launched from just two platforms, the Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and Air Force B-1 bombers.
The potential inclusion of the stealthy LRASM in F-15E and F-15EX emphasises the changing and demanding scenario for even better and more powerful variants. This is crucial given the might of the Chinese naval forces, especially in the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea.
On January 8, the US Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced that it plans to negotiate an exclusive contract with Lockheed Martin, the lead contractor for the LRASM, to install the C-1 version of the missile on the F-15E and F-15EX fighter jets.
The F-15E and F-15EX fighter jets are well known for their impressive payload capacity, which allows them to carry substantial amounts of munitions. This capability would enable both jets to transport a large number of AGM-158C missiles and significantly augment their ability to target maritime threats.
The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic-warfare aircraft. It has been deployed for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, among others. During these operations, the strike fighter has carried out deep strikes against high-value targets and combat air patrols, and provided close air support for coalition troops. It has also been exported to several countries. Boeing enhanced the F-15E design through the Advanced Eagle family, including the F-15EX Eagle II.
The Boeing F-15EX is an all-weather multirole strike fighter. It is a member of the F-15 Advanced Eagle family of aircraft, a further development of the F-15E design that began with the F-15SA which first flew in 2013 and continued with the F-15QA which first flew in 2020.
With these many features, China has to watch out for the USAF and the US Navy as going by these calculations and observations, it seems that the USA has achieved superiority over China in terms of aerial combat.
As of now, it is wait and watch!
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