U.S. Air Force expected to prolong lifespan of F-15E fighters

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U.S. Air Force expected to prolong lifespan of F-15E fighters: Boeing
[영문뉴스] 2002년 11월 07일 (목) 18:51

By Hwang Jang-jin Korea Herald correspondent
ST. LOUIS - The U.S. Air Force is expected to operate upgraded F-15E fighter jets until 2040 and beyond, instead of phasing them out around 2030 as was widely expected, a senior executive of Boeing Co. said.

Tom Lillis, Boeing's general manager of business development for Asia, said the extension of service in conjunction with predicted F-15 sales to other countries will guarantee the company's smooth provision of follow-up support for South Korea's F-15K fleets in the future.

"As far as how long the airplanes (F-15Es) will operate, the official word is '2030 and beyond.' However, I have been told by members of the senior (U.S.) Air Force leadership that the airplanes will remain in the Air Force's inventory until 2035, 2040 and possibly beyond," he said in a recent meeting with Korean journalists.

Under a $4.228 billion contract signed in June, South Korea will purchase 40 F-15Ks, the latest version of Boeing's F-15 aircraft, with delivery scheduled from November 2005 to August 2008.Its Air Force plans to fly F-15Ks until 2040.Concerns have grown, however, that South Korea may have to deal with shortages of assembly parts or increased prices if the U.S. Air Force carries out the alleged retirement of its F-15Es in 2030."There is nothing being designed currently to replace F-15Es as the U.S. Air Forces' multi-role tactical fighters," he said.

The U.S. Air Force currently operates 228 F-15Es and will procure eight more over the next two years. It plans major technology overhauls and system upgrades for F-15Es to improve their capabilities to the level of F-15Ks toward 2020.The key areas to undergo restructuring include radars, the targeting and navigation system, display devices and fighter data links, Boeing officials said citing an official U.S. blueprint for the F-15E upgrade programs.

These cutting-edge avionics are already established in the F-15K design, Lillis said, brushing aside criticism in South Korea that the F-15K is little more than a gloss-coated version of the F-15, an outmoded family of aircraft.

Boeing will initiate flight tests for the F-15K in March 2005.The first of two planned South Korean F-15K squadrons will be formed in June or July 2007, according to Boeing officials.

Boeing expects a sustained demand from Israel and Saudi Arabia for additional F-15s or for upgrades to their existing F-15 aircraft to match the Korean version. He calculates somewhere in the region of 400 F-15K-class aircraft will be in operation.

"There is going to be a large pool of airplanes that will require upgrades or logistical support. This includes not only those belonging to South Korea but a further 400 airplanes," he said.

(jjhwang@koreaherald.co.kr)