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U.S. Air Force Downsizing F-15 Fleet, Plans Targeted Upgrades

Brian Everstine March 15, 2024

U.S. Air Force F-15E aircraft — F-15Es at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, are changing tactics as the service focuses on potential combat in the Indo-Pacific region.

Credit: Brian Everstine/AW&ST

After briefly going supersonic above snow-capped mountains over southern Idaho, the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, call sign “Grimm,” pulls the throttle to make the aircraft’s twin Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines slow for a dive. The range operator, known as Cowboy Control, radioed the pilot...

Brian Everstine

Brian Everstine is the Pentagon Editor for Aviation Week, based in Washington, D.C.

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