Golden Age Weaponsmiths F-15 Strike Eagle:

In the year 2015, all remaining F-15 Eagle jet fighters were modified to the Strike Eagle configuration. The rapidly aging aircraft were then soon replaced by F-22 and other more modern designs in that role as well. A few of the F-15 were put in Air National Guard Units, some were abandoned in the desert, and some even found their way into private hands. This meant that the aircraft were well spread out and many of them survive the coming of the Rifts. Some of the remaining aircraft have found their way to Golden Age Weaponsmiths and have been refitted by them. Unfortunately, due to the fact that potential purchasers see the aircraft as having no real advantages over other aircraft, Golden Age has had to lower their prices on these aircraft. The F-14 has much longer range radar, the F-16 is easier to maintain and more maneuverable, the FA-18 is easier to maintain and more maneuverable, the F-22 beats the F-15 in every category, the F-111 has a greater payload, the A-10 can take more abuse, and the AV-8 can make vertical take off and landing. This also has prevented the consideration of any new production of the aircraft as well by Golden Age Weaponsmiths. Some mercenary companies have purchased these aircraft and are generally satisfied with their performance. They quote it long time on station and heavy payload for advantages

The F-15 and the F-14 have about the same performance but the variable geometry wings do give the F-14 some advantage in it maneuverability. The refit of the F-15 is much like it is for all other refitted aircraft. The skin of the aircraft is replaced by an MDC alloy to enable the aircraft to survive damage from the powerful weapons being used on Rifts Earth. Because of the outdated nature of the missiles being used on the F-15, they were refitted to carry the same types or missiles and bombs used on rifts earth. The fighter carries the same gun pod that the F-14, F-16, FA-18, F-22, and F-111 carry. The rounds in the cannon have also been replaced by special ramjet rounds.

The F-15 does have one very interesting feature, these are the fast packs, they are conformal fuel tanks that are used by the fighter to extend its range. Like virtually all United States aircraft, the F-15 can be refueled in the air.

Model Number: F-15E
Vehicle Type: Twin Engine Fighter-Bomber
Crew: Two

M.D.C. by Location:
[1] Wings (2):70 each
[2] Elevators (2):40 each
[2] Rudders (2):40 each
Cockpit:80
[3] Engines (2):100 each
Landing Gear (3):5 each
[4] Main Body:140

Notes:
[1] Destroying a Wing will cause the plane to crash
[2] Destruction of rudders or one elevator will still allow the fighter to be controlled by the varying of power levels of the engines but the fighter has a penalty of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction of both of the elevators will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject to survive.
[3] The destruction of one engine will reduce the fighters top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines will cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or pilot can choose to eject.
[4] Depleting the M.D.C. of the main body will shut the Aircraft down completely, rendering it useless and causing it to crash if in flight.

Speed:
Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when traveling and not on take off or landing.
Flying: The Eagle can reach a top speed of Mach 2.5 (1,853.6 mph/2,983.1 kph) on full afterburner (the fighter can only last a few minutes at that speed). The fighter's normal cruise is about 600 mph (965.6 kph) but varies on the situation. The fighter has a maximum altitude of 65,000 feet (19,697 meters).
Range: 1,500 nautical miles (1,726.2 miles/2,778 km) with no external ordnance load. Fast Pack tanks add 200 nautical miles (230.2 miles/370.4 km) each for 400 nautical miles (460.3 miles /740.8 km) total. The fighter can carry up to three fuel tanks (center and bottom of wing pylons) that extend range by about 160 nautical miles (184.1 miles/296.3 km) each. Reduce aircraft's range by 15% if partially loaded (Over 2 long range missiles, 4 medium range missiles, or 8 short range missiles) and by 25% if fully loaded. The Eagle can be refueled in the air.

Statistical Data:
Height: 18 feet, 8 inches (5.7 meters).
Wingspan: 42 feet, 10 inches (13.1 meters).
Length: 63 feet, 9 inches (19.4 meters).
Weight: 32,000 pounds (14,515 kg) empty and 81,000 pounds (3674.1 kg) fully loaded
Power System: Conventional, Two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 afterburning turbofans with 29,100 lb thrust each, uses aviation fuel
Cargo: Minimal (Storage for small equipment), does not include hard points
Black Market Cost: 2.8 million credits (Can occasionally sell for slightly more)

Weapon Systems:

  1. 20 mm MK-61A1 Vulcan cannon: This is the original Pre-Rifts cannon mounted in the side of the fighter. It is also the same cannon design as is carried on the F-14 Tomcat and the FA-18. They have replaced the standard ammo with mega damage, armor piercing ramjet ammunition which allows the aircraft to hold it own against other Rifts aircraft. The gun mount is controlled by the fighter's pilot.
    Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
    Mega Damage: 1D6x10 for a burst of 30 round, 2D4 for each round.
    Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
    Payload: 510 rounds (17 bursts)
  2. Hard Points (7): The F-15 can carry a variety of different ordnance types on hard points but the hard points are not laid out like they are on the F-16 and FA-18 and instead a pylon can be used for different types of ordnance at the same time. This is done because the wing pylons have a mounting for missiles on the sides of the pylon and can mount ordnance on the bottom of the pylon as well. Below is a list of hard points and the loads that they can carry. Missiles, rocket packs, and bombs can be mixed or matched but all ordnance on a hard point must be the same type.
    Central Hard Point: Fuel Tanks, ECM Pod, or Missiles/Bombs (1 Long Range Missile /Heavy, 2 Medium Range/Medium, or 4 Short Range/Light)
    Outer Fuselage Hard Points (2): Missiles/Bombs (1 Long Range Missile /Heavy, 2 Medium Range/Medium, or 4 Short Range/Light)
    Wing Pylon Hard Points (Side -2): Missiles only (2 medium range missile or 4 short range missiles)
    Wing Pylon Hard Points (Bottom-2): Fuel Tanks, ECM Pod, Rocket packs, or Missiles/Bombs (2 Long Range Missile /Heavy, 4 Medium Range/Medium, or 8 Short Range/Light)
    1. Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided bombs can be carried. Short range missile racks are controlled by either the pilot or the weapon's officer.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile and varies by altitude bombs are dropped at (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one attack but they must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley)
      Payload: Varies by hard point (see above - all ordnance on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance)
    2. Mini-Missile Pod: A Large capacity mini-missile pod. The mini missile pods are normally carried for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement attacks. Normal missiles used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation mini-missiles. In two pilot versions, mini missile pods are controlled by the pilot.
      Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles only (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Damage: Varies with mini-missile types (Go to Revised bomb and missile table).
      Rate of fire: Each pod can fire one at a time or in volleys of 2, 4, 8, or 16 and can be linked with other mini missile pods for greater number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in a volley)
      Payload: each pod carries 16 mini-missiles.
    3. Active Jamming Pod: Pod takes place of all ordnance on the Hard Point. Causes -25% to detection but when it is active, other vehicles/ bases can detect that it is jamming, and some missiles will home in on jamming signals. Jamming also causes a -4 penalty to all radar guided weapons.
    4. Towed Decoys (4): The pod takes place of all ordnance on the Hard Point. The aircraft can carry a special pod that carries four advanced towed decoy drones. These drones are dragged about 328 feet (100 meters) behind the aircraft on a thin cable. Each is a specially designed radar lure that creates a radar image to mimic the aircraft. If decoys are not destroyed, they can be recovered and repaired. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World weapons due to technological difference.
      M.D.C.: 5
      Effects: The decoy has an 65% chance of fooling ordinary non military radars and non smart guided missiles, the decoy has a 35% chance of fooling military level radars (like those of the Coalition), and the decoy has a 10% chance of fooling advanced military radars (Like those of the New Navy and Triax) and smart missiles.
      Range: Not Applicable although the decoy is deployed 328 feet (100 meters) from the aircraft
      Rate of fire: One can be deployed at a time and requires 15 seconds to deploy (Reel Out) another decoy
      Payload: 4 Decoys each pod.
  3. Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (1): Use the same effects as the TRIAX model. However, each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares. Rifts Earth decoy systems are assumed to not operate against Phase World missiles due to technological difference. Reduce effects by 20% against smart missiles (Add +20% to rolls for smart missiles.)
    Effect: Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half. Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
    Payload: 20 chaff, 40 flares. Each time the system is engaged, the system fires off one chaff and 1D4 flares.

Special Equipment:
The equipment of the fighter has been upgraded but many of the original systems are still on the fighter. Consider the fighter to carry all standard equipment that robot vehicles carry (not including loudspeaker and microphone) plus the following extra systems:

Combat Bonuses:

[Golden Age Weaponsmiths, Wellington Industries, and TRIAX are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

Image drawn and copyrighted by Michael Donegan (NAVYDAZE@aol.com) .
More Michael Donegan artwork at NAVYDAZE Navy & Aviation Artwork

By Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune ).

Copyright © 1998 & 2001, Kitsune. All rights reserved.

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