Option to remove CFTs

[Nahen]

1 hour ago, agamemnon_b5 said:

It's incorrect to say "no one" uses the E in that way.  F-15E squadrons deployed for Operation Northern Watch and Southern Watch (no fly zones over Iraq after the First Gulf War) were employed in an Air-to-Air roll and were armed as such (with some ground ordinance at times to take out SAM sites that fired on them.

All these planes were flying with cft at the time

32 minutes ago, Cab said:

Did they remove the CFT’s? That was the intended reference.

 No, they all flew with CFT

[strikeeagle]

1 hour ago, Cab said:

Did they remove the CFT’s? That was the intended reference.

CFT’s were ALWAYS installed.  CFT’s don’t have to be removed for A/A.  The first couple sorties during a “B-course” is all BFM.  CFT’s, but no pods.

Edited January 1, 2023 by strikeeagle

[DSplayer]

23 hours ago, strikeeagle said:

Interesting.  Do you have any pics?  I'd be interested in seeing the config.  Flying regular sorties w/out CFT's is a big deal.  CFT mounts have to be removed (I broke a 1" drive trying to remove a nut), LAU-106's and vortex generators have to be installed.  Some what of a PITA for maintenance.

 

I didn’t even know that the F-15E had those LAU-106 stations available for use when the CFTs weren’t mounted. Does that mean that in extreme circumstances that an F-15E could theoretically run around with 8 A/A missiles without CFTs?

[strikeeagle]

29 minutes ago, DSplayer said:

I didn’t even know that the F-15E had those LAU-106 stations available for use when the CFTs weren’t mounted. Does that mean that in extreme circumstances that an F-15E could theoretically run around with 8 A/A missiles without CFTs?

Yes — the 106’s are completely removed  to install a CFT.  There are special mounts that are installed in place of the 106.  IIRC, the mounts are torqued to like 2500ft/lbs.

The CFT itself is secured by two bolts and gravity.

But E’s can have 8 missiles w/CFT’s.  The 106’s are installed on the CFT too.

Edited January 1, 2023 by strikeeagle

[henshao]

1 hour ago, DSplayer said:

I didn’t even know that the F-15E had those LAU-106 stations available for use when the CFTs weren’t mounted. Does that mean that in extreme circumstances that an F-15E could theoretically run around with 8 A/A missiles without CFTs?

 

On 8/4/2022 at 2:10 PM, henshao said:

I don't know what you mean by "neutered" or "can only" but as delivered by McDonnell your jet supports AMRAAM and Sparrow from the fuselage.

 

 

 

[Nahen]

8 hours ago, DSplayer said:

I didn’t even know that the F-15E had those LAU-106 stations available for use when the CFTs weren’t mounted. Does that mean that in extreme circumstances that an F-15E could theoretically run around with 8 A/A missiles without CFTs?

The F-15E is no different from the F-15A/C in terms of the number of weapon pylons. The airframe itself can carry A-A armament on four points under the wings and four at the edges of the fuselage.
The F-15E additionally received a CFT mounting system that increases the number of suspension points by another eight suspension points dedicated to the A-G armament.
As for the A-A configuration, both without CFT and with CFT can carry 8 missiles in the same places. With this configuration, the CFT omit the extra three pylons on the sides of the CFT plus one between the "original" A-A pylons.

The whole topic was about the possibility of removing CFT - yes, but until this year no F-15E flew "operationally" without CFT. Even when they flew in A-A configuration they always flew with CFT.
After the decision to withdraw F-15C from the linear units, at the Lakenheath base the F-15E began to fly more often in the A-A configuration without CFT. After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the replacement of the 483rd Grim Reapers to the F-35, someone decided that the typical air superiority fighter may still be very much needed, and the F-22 is not enough to be everywhere. Besides, the advantage that F-15s have over Su-27/30/35 and MiG-29/35 is so big that they will be enough in case of escalation and the need to gain air superiority over Europe.

Coming back to the issue of CFT and A-A configuration - the F-15E with and without CFT can carry a total of 8 A-A missiles suspended in exactly the same places..

[Nahen]

And here's a fresh video from Lakenheath Happy New Year everyone

p.s.
With CFT tanks

 

 

 

[agamemnon_b5]

16 hours ago, Nahen said:

All these planes were flying with cft at the time

 No, they all flew with CFT

I wasn't trying to insinuate they didn't.  I'm just saying the Strike Eagle can be employed in the A2A roll.

[Cab]

49 minutes ago, agamemnon_b5 said:

I wasn't trying to insinuate they didn't.  I'm just saying the Strike Eagle can be employed in the A2A roll.

Yes, no one had questioned that.

The case before the court was, would a Strike Eagle operator remove the CFTs for missions considering it hadn’t been done previously?

If you go back and read my post from June you’ll see what I was replying to. 

Edited January 1, 2023 by Cab

[Nahen]

47 minutes ago, agamemnon_b5 said:

I wasn't trying to insinuate they didn't.  I'm just saying the Strike Eagle can be employed in the A2A roll.

Isn't that obvious? An aircraft that was created on the basis of a fighter by strengthening the structure and allowing it to attack ground targets would be a rather strange construction if it could not be used for dogfighting...

[Despayre]

59 minutes ago, Nahen said:

Isn't that obvious? 

We're 12 pages in, clearly, NOT obvious to everyone.

[Nahen]

9 minutes ago, Despayre said:

We're 12 pages in, clearly, NOT obvious to everyone.

All in all... today on the PvP server in the chat there was a question - how do I find an opponent? In fact, I shouldn't be surprised anymore

[Spurts]

On 1/1/2023 at 8:07 AM, Nahen said:

The whole topic was about the possibility of removing CFT - yes, but until this year no F-15E flew "operationally" without CFT. Even when they flew in A-A configuration they always flew with CFT.

While RAZBAM has already said they won't do it due to the changes to the FM, it was certainly interesting to see a lightly armed F-15E with no pods, no CFTs, WITH wing tanks take off preceded by a full up F-15E with CFTs and pods and no munitions.

[Cab]

21 hours ago, Despayre said:

We're 12 pages in, clearly, NOT obvious to everyone.

The discussion has not been whether or not the Strike Eagle can do air-to-air. No one is disputing that (I think). Rather, we have been arguing about the realism of operating F-15E’s without the CFTs.

[EricJ]

They don't operate without them, so why remove them?

[Pipe]

12 pages of nothing to see here…wow

[henshao]

literally videos in this thread of operational F-15Es without CFTs but you guys don't see anything, perhaps a flight sim isn't right for you with such visual impairment

[Despayre]

15 minutes ago, henshao said:

literally videos in this thread of operational F-15Es without CFTs but you guys don't see anything, perhaps a flight sim isn't right for you with such visual impairment

Literally 12 pages of SME's, enthusiasts, and I believe, at least 1 person from the company that makes the module, telling you, it's not gonna happen, and yet, here you still are, trying to push for it anyway...

Ya, you're right, visual impairment is a real thing. Perhaps forums aren't the right place for you.

[Mars Exulte]

1 hour ago, Pipe said:

12 pages of nothing to see here…wow

 You're on an entire forum that revolves around this sort of thing. There's a lot more than 12 pages of drivel to be found

[Nahen]

9 hours ago, henshao said:

literally videos in this thread of operational F-15Es without CFTs but you guys don't see anything, perhaps a flight sim isn't right for you with such visual impairment

Probably the only movies that are here where the F-15E flies WITHOUT CFT are the movies that I uploaded.
I wrote CLEARLY that from about half a year, when the F-15C was withdrawn from the Lakennheath base in the UK, the 492nd Squadron started flying on several machines without CFT to somehow replace / patch the hole left by the F-15C.

So far - I will repeat - NEVER the F-15E has flown operationally without CFT. The discussion started before this fact. So, apart from treating it as a curiosity, it has nothing to do with the problem discussed here.

What's more, after talking to two of the 492nd pilots, I received information that such flights and training make sense only here in Europe. Why? Because anywhere else F-15E will fly on any combat mission with CFT, even if some of them will fly in A-A configuration - the reason is simple - "equalization" of ranges during the mission. In Europe, the range of the F-15 without CFT is sufficient as long as the mission takes place over the territory of NATO countries.

So don't talk about films that confirm the operational use of the F-15E without CFT because there are none. Unless from air shows or technical inspections, etc.

[Talon Karde]

Cannot believe we are at page 12 of this discussion. I cannot even understand WHY this fu*** discussion appeared one day.

[Nahen]

This is the result of the fact that a large part of people coming to DCS are looking for an arcade air equivalent of Counter Strike rather than a simulation ... Almost like wishes for hanging a set of 8 pieces of AGM-114 or 4 pieces of M134 under the OH-58D ... And probably in the topic for each module, such "flowers" are found.
In the case of this topic, after the declaration from RAZBAM that there will be no option to remove the CFT, this topic should be ended. But unfortunately, every now and then someone comes who hasn't read more than the last page, maybe two... and so on...

[EricJ]

7 hours ago, Nahen said:

This is the result of the fact that a large part of people coming to DCS are looking for an arcade air equivalent of Counter Strike rather than a simulation ... Almost like wishes for hanging a set of 8 pieces of AGM-114 or 4 pieces of M134 under the OH-58D ... And probably in the topic for each module, such "flowers" are found.
In the case of this topic, after the declaration from RAZBAM that there will be no option to remove the CFT, this topic should be ended. But unfortunately, every now and then someone comes who hasn't read more than the last page, maybe two... and so on...

I agree, a 12 page discussion isn't going to convince them otherwise. I think NineLine should close this topic.

Edited January 19, 2023 by EricJ

[Esac_mirmidon]

Just trying to push the thread to the 13th page.

XD

[=DROOPY=]

This thread...right here... is living proof that for some individuals, they could win the lottery, marry  the playmate of the month, and go tax free for the rest of there life... 

 

And they would *STILL* find *something* to bitch or cry about...   What a miserable life that must be.

Edited January 20, 2023 by =DROOPY=