OT- F-15's grounded worldwide

[RvETito]

Saw it posted in the DCS forums.

 

After friday's crash of USANG F-15C which has fallen appart in mid air the entire F-15 fleet has been grounded, including the one of Japan.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/05/f15.grounding/index.html

 

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6297555.html

 

I hope it won't share the Concorde's destiny now, it's still a pretty potent aircraft.

[Aeroscout]

Your kidding!

 

I sure hope they do not remain grounded. It would remove a large chunk from our air force! (especially in Afghanistan, as the article said)

 

This is bad...

[GGTharos]

Once they figure out what the problem is, they'll likely fix it up or determine it may have been an isolated case and those planes will be back up in the air.

The nice thing about the USAF and USN is that they have plenty of other types of aircraft to pick up the slack - though in the case of the F-15, there's no replacing that BVR machine ... other than getting a few Raptors into the field.

[tflash]

In Fact, this is not a specific issue, but a well known one: the Eagles (especially the C's) are getting old and have logged many many flight hours. They indeed are falling apart.

 

Sad, but a real problem for USAF at the moment.

[SuperKungFu]

Maybe this is the kick the USAF needs to bring in some raptors

[TorwaK]

For me reason is simple... Boeing spent billions dolar to develop F-22 Raptor and expected high profits from sale rates. Its probhited to sell F-22 Raptors to abroad btw USAF decreased F-22 orders from 650 to 240 so Raptors remain unsold of Boeing. :smilewink: Easy to say Boieng wants to push the goverment to buy more F-22 Raptors and replace with F-15's, especially after goverment decided to upgrade F-15C radar and avionics.

 

Lets see what will happen:doh:

[markriley]

Hate to see them down like that. Truth is that they are close to 30 years old (and still my favorite jet) and not really the top dog anymore. I hated to see the F-14s go and God forbid the day it happens to the 15s. These days, with the F-22s scoring 60 wins to zero losses against some of the best 15 and 16 pilots the US has to offer, I wouldnt feel safe in any plane other than the raptor.

Love them 15s ever since I was 12 years old at Castle AFB, CA. Hope they keep them going for several more years to come.

[Mugatu]

Lockheed Martin was the prime.

 

For me reason is simple... Boeing spent billions dolar to develop F-22 Raptor and expected high profits from sale rates. Its probhited to sell F-22 Raptors to abroad btw USAF decreased F-22 orders from 650 to 240 so Raptors remain unsold of Boeing. :smilewink: Easy to say Boieng wants to push the goverment to buy more F-22 Raptors and replace with F-15's, especially after goverment decided to upgrade F-15C radar and avionics.

 

Lets see what will happen:doh:

[markriley]

And the reason THAT wont happen is because that each individual raptor costs well above 200 million a piece...and that doesnt include the first 91 aircraft that was designed with a structural flaw that will cost 100 million to fix for each of those 91 aircraft.

 

The info I read on F22fighter.com (if you scroll down to the bottom of the history tab ) shows the Raptor costing only $84 Mil each. they even mention "not the 200 mil sometimes listed"

What is this structural flaw that would cost $100 mil to fix when they can just build a new jet for $16 mil less?

 

link: http://www.f22fighter.com/history.htm

Scroll down to bottom "how can we afford the raptor" section.

[Camoman]

And the reason THAT wont happen is because that each individual raptor costs well above 200 million a piece...and that doesnt include the first 91 aircraft that was designed with a structural flaw that will cost 100 million to fix for each of those 91 aircraft.

 

 

If you can provide a source for this claim i would be amazed. It is absurd to claim a structural failure would cost $91million per jet to fix. Of course if you prove it i take that back but that is insane.

[Camoman]

To add, there is a corrosion problem:

 

"In all, Air Force maintainers are working on 17 access panels - as small as several inches and as large as two feet. Four of the panels on the topside of the aircraft have been found to be most susceptible to corrosion and will be replaced - at a cost of $50,000 per aircraft, not including labor. "

 

http://www.f-16.net/news_article2579.html

 

Although i still cant find any source claiming structural problems.

[RvETito]

The F-15, especially the E is still USAF's workhorse. I'm pretty sure they will do whatever is needed to keep it in service for few more years. I find it natural to ground it for inspections and revision of it's airworthiness, it happens to many civil aircraft as well. Why military jets should make an exception?

[markriley]

Air Force Times Nov. 2007. It referrs about the same subject you just discussed, but 50k for each panels, and the 4 panels on the top leads to bad galvanic corrosion throughout most of the aircraft.

 

Do you have a link for us please? I searched on the Air Force Times site for the article but havent found it yet.

[markriley]

Well I could go see about it but its really just pointless. We know (as you have said) that the 22 has its problems and is more expensive than they hoped due largely to number built/ordered much less than original number projected {same cost to develop divided by less planes made= more per plane}

But the 22 is still the best around and no one would want to be in the sky against one. That to me says it all.

I still love the 15s and will even after they are gone, but I expect the raptor and the F-35 variants to be the main stay for the future of our military for the next 30 years anyway.

Peace to all while we wait for Grandsurfs new mod and possible patch 1.13