With the recent retirement of the FB-111, the F-15E has become the USAF's premier deep strike/interdiction aircraft. While the USAF's new F-22 will be able to carry A/G ordinance internally and externally, the F-15E will still continue to serve as the principle A/G weapons delivery platform until a new design is approved. Due to the recent budget crisis that the US military have been experiencing, this could be some time to come.

Recently Combat Simulations had an opportunity to talk to George "Wildman" Wargo, currently with the U.S. Atlantic Command, Joint Training, Analysis and Simulation Center. George shares with us his experience piloting the Eagle.

Csim: Tell us a bit about your experience as a pilot. Which aircraft have you flown? Which are your favorites and why?

George: I have over 4000 hours of flying time. I started out as an instructor in the T-38 (1200 hours) . From there I went to the 43TFS in Alaska where I was an AT-33 (1200 hours) aggressor in an F-4 squadron. We flew Dissimilar air tactics simulating the mig-17 against the F-4 and provided close air supports for the Army. From there I went to the F-15A/C in the 94TFS for there to the F-5E (250 hours) in North Yemen then back to the F-15C (1500 hours) in Okinawa.

In transition I picked up time in the AT-38 an T-33 (200+ hours). Also because of some assignments I picked up some time in the F-4, F-16, Jaguar, and Hunter. The F-15 was the most fun and rewarding. It performed like a dream; a pure air-to-air pilot's dream; thrust, weapons and performance right at your fingertips. There are relatively few things in life to equal the feeling of strapping on that machine.

Csim: How does the Eagle compare to other fighter aircraft in flight, responsiveness, feel?

George: I could equate it to driving a Corvette in a Hyundai world. Whatever you asked the Eagle to do she did. She was also smarter than you. You could put yourself in a corner and she would get you out. Also although we were limited to 9 g's if you needed them you could get more and still bring her home in one piece...truly a well-structured, engineering marvel by McDonnell Douglas [now owned by Boeing].

Csim: When the F-15E first came to service it was not nearly as publicized as other aircraft such as the F-22. However, its impact on the Gulf War has made the "Beagle" world-renowned. Could you explain what a transition the F-15 went through from the standard Alpha or Charlie F-15 to the Echo model?

George: There was no transition from the F-15C to the F-15E. It was a totally new aircraft with a totally different mission. The Mudhen was developed around the crew concept of air-to-ground with self-survivability of an Air-to-air machine. We needed something to replace the hole being left by the F-4 and F-111. The F-15E has done that admirably. Now this is strictly my opinion, even though perfectly correct, but the Mudhen community or as we say "the dark side" is doing a magnificent job.

Csim: Undoubtedly, like all USAF aircraft, the "E" has undergone modernization since it first came to service in 1987. Could you discuss what kind and how much has changed (i.e., engines etc...) from the recently produced "E" models (those just recently completed to compensate for those lost during Desert Storm and those lost through accidents) to those first produced in 1987? Which versions (original or upgraded) will Jane's F-15 have on hand for us to fly?

George: All aircraft go through certain modifications as the system matures. This is mainly done because the aviators have found a more appropriate way to do something that the engineer never considered and also we have noted a better way to counteract a threat. This is more than likely done with a software change. Hardware modifications usually are too costly and require funding.

Csim: There are many in the USAF and Congress (not to mention Boeing!) who would like to see more F-15E's produced. The advocates of this train of thought point to how invaluable the "Beagle" was during Desert Storm, the mass of advances incorporated into the avionics and its ability to carry 24,500 pounds of ordinance a long distance while retaining it's air-to-air capabilities. Detractors contend that the F-15E is not advanced enough to warrant further production and it's capabilities, while strong, are not superior to the F-111 on a pound per pound basis (i.e., it can't carry as much ordinance etc...). What does the F-15E community say about the planes' strengths and weaknesses?

George: First off there are no weaknesses in the F-15E. It fulfills all aspects and tasks it was designed to do. When we had the F-4 we tended to overtask the system and crew to the point where the training required to maintain proficiency outweighed the time and sorties allocated to do it; therefore we had a jack of all trades master of none. We realized this and have intelligently developed our modern force around maximizing the capabilities of both man and machine while not over-extending the weapon system.

The development of our newer weapons allows us to be much more effective with fewer bombs....less time in the target area, more accuracy and destructive power. The F-15E is not an air-to-air machine. Granted it is far more capable than many adversaries but its primary DOC is to drop bombs.

It is very capable of defending itself. We are all on the same team. We in the F-15C do our best to keep the bad guys away but every now and then one gets through. The F-15E makes him sorry he did.

Csim: Obviously the "E" is bigger and heavier and along with its conformal tanks carries more parasitic drag but it does offer increased engine performance using the GE -129's. Can you comment how differently the F-15E handles as opposed to the F-15C?

George: The engine is the GE229 and it can super cruise. Contrary to common belief the CFT creates more lift that parasitic drag. The drag created by the external tank is greater than the CFT. The CFT, however is a lot heavier and cannot be jettisoned in flight. That's why the light greys don't use them. The CFT affords the range that the dark grey needs to get to that interdiction target. The F-15E and the F-15C are not a match in the air-to-air arena. The C is lighter and cleaner; after all that's it's primary job.

Yet a poorly flown C can be waxed by a well flown E. As always the pilot is the unknown factor. A hamburger in a fancy bun is still a hamburger!

Csim: Many flight sim fans followed the performance of the "E" during Desert Storm and were not really very surprised when it was seen as one of the unheralded heroes of the conflict. Could you discuss what ATO the "E" got during the conflict? Will these be the same Air Tasking Orders we will see in the game?

George: The ATO created in the scenarios that we have developed will mirror the taskings of the Gulf War...from storage facilities, to tanks, to scuds.

Csim: One weapon more than any other made fame during the Gulf War. Other than laser guided bombs themselves, the GBU-28 "Deepthroat" demanded a tremendous amount attention during the last few hours of the conflict.

It is known fact that two F-111F's dropped the only two GBU-28's during Desert Storm. Recently the F-15E was cleared to carry the GBU-28. Could you discuss this huge 4800-pound bomb and the F-15E's ability to use it in combat? What type of targets in the game would the GBU-28 be used on?

George: The F-15E has been certified to employ the GBU-28. It will be carried on the centerline station and we will give you the capability to use it in the game to go after that deep bunker. We have modeled it with the BLU-113 A/B warhead. Hopefully we have given you the true ballistics of this weapon. (I'm fairly confident!).

Csim: Not too long ago I read in a Jane's Defense weekly magazine that there was discussion of another F-15 model. It was speculated that Boeing was working on a new air-to-air version of the F-15, which would be a two-seater. It was referred to as the F-15SE or F-15 Super Eagle (not Strike Eagle). It would incorporate a new radar, avionics suite, digital FBW and thrust vectoring among many changes. Have you heard of this new Eagle and if so can you tell us about it?

George: I have not heard any such rumors. The thrust vectoring suite has been around since the early 80s. It just isn't practical in the F-15.

Csim: One advantage that NATO has learned was held by Russia was the use of off-boresight targeting with their IRST system. This system coupled with the Archer missile is quite formidable and makes the US AMRAAM advantage that much more important. What plans have been made to equip the USAF F-15E fleet with the new AIM-9X Sidewinder?

George: Should the Aim-9X come to fruition it will undoubtedly be given to all frontline fighters. Your information is quite good.

CSim: In the early 1990's the F-15, F-16 and F-18 were all testing the Silent Stalker system which was later mounted on the Tomcat resulting in the D model. This system has greatly increased the abilities of the Tomcat, giving it a true First Look , First Shoot capability. Do you think we are likely to see this kind of upgrade on the F-15?

George: The F-15 is very capable of detecting enemy aircraft prior to them becoming true threats. As threats become more lethal, our software engineers I'm sure will rise to the challenge.

Csim: Could you discuss how accurate the flight model for Jane's F-15 has come to the actual F-15E? Can they make it simulate the F-15E's flight dynamics EXACTLY?

George: Having been intimately involved in this process I would have to say that we have the best flight model seen to date. We have incorporated actual specifications coupled with my knowledge of how it "really" worked. We spent endless hours perfecting this. You can't get any closer to reality on a PC.

Csim: Qhat about the "feel" of flight in Janes F-15? Have they captured the essence of the F-15?

George: The only thing missing is the smell of the JP-4/5/8; the feel of the rubber Oxygen mask and the cockpit sounds of a massive machine under g stress. You can't feel the g...but your other senses know what's happening.

Csim: What features of the game surprised you during development with that "I can't believe they've captured this in a sim," kind of feeling.

George: The totally functionality of the weapon system really wowed me. I said this would really make the game great and the boys did it!

Csim: Same question from the other side, which part of the experience of actual combat is the most difficult to capture in a simulation?

George: You can't capture anticipation and the fear of the unknown. When you're sitting at your computer you still have the option of pausing the game, going to the bathroom and getting a cup of coffee. There are no time outs in real life.

Csim: Has Jane's incorporated all the air-to-air modes and various sub-modes into the game?

George: You could take this game to a training squadron and use it to instruct systems and radar employment.

Csim: What do you see as the future of the F-15E? Some have speculated that the "E" might become a new USAF favorite to replace the venerable F-4G Phantom in the Wild Weasel (SEAD) role. Others have said it has a future as a new EW platform. How many different versions of the "E" do you see coming to fruition?

George: The F-16 has the Weasel job. I don't forsee giving it to the F-15E. It is far to valuable as a deep strike fighter. There are fewer of them than of F-16s. The Air Force once again doesn't want to overtask a weapons system.

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Csim: Are there any other comments you'd like to make on the F15E as a platform, its future, or Janes F-15 simulation?

George: The team put together by Jane's/ Origin was phenomenal. When you put great people together, that get along well, you get a great product. The artists, programmers, and designers were a joy to work with....true fighter pilot spirit in all these people. Andy Hollis should be proud of what he has put together here. This team has produced a winner and it will be a benchmark for future games. The entire flight sim arena will be enhanced because of Jane's F-15. I also believe that it will be around a long time!

Csim: Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and insight with the sim community