Documents
United States Boeing
F-15E Strike Eagle
Two-seat, all-weather strike variant of the F-15 optimized for long-range interdiction while retaining strong air-to-air performance. Forms the backbone of USAF and allied deep-strike fleets alongside newer stealth types.
In service since 1989 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,650
km/h
3,900
km range
18,200
m ceiling
11,100
kg payload
0.93
T/W
💲 ≈ $53,000,000, Historical unit flyaway cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 5 operators
In service since 1989. Status: active · ~500 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$133M – $186M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the F-15E Strike Eagle can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Powerplant
The F-15E Strike Eagle's engine has its own full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 2,650 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 2.5 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,900 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,270 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 18,200 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.93 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 11 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 11,100 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | ALQ-135 internal EW system, chaff, flares |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 19.43 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 13.05 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 5.63 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 14,300 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 23,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 129 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 8,845 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/APG-70 or AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA (upgraded aircraft) |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | LANTIRN targeting/navigation pods, TEWS electronic warfare suite |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16 |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $53,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 500 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 5 |
Specifications compiled from public Boeing and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Dassault Aviation Rafale F4 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle has a maximum speed of 2,650 km/h.
What is the range of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle has a maximum range of 3,900 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle can carry up to 11,100 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle weigh? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle has a combat weight of 23,000 kg.
How many crew does the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle require? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle's primary weapon is the 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon.
What engine does the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle use? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle is powered by the 2x Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 afterburning turbofans.
What is the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle used for? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle is a fighter aircraft typically used for deep strike, multirole combat, close air support.
How many countries operate the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle cost? +
The Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle has an approximate unit cost of 53,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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