Possibility for the F-15E to fly without CFT

[Nahen]

Good,I'm after talking on the phone "hot" 57 FIS from Keflavik could fly with CFT. A friend was there around 1994/95 and then transferred to Lakenheath for the 493rd of the 48th Wing. Earlier, I talked to him about various things and asked about CFT and he replied as I wrote. Now we just talked only about it. According to him, when he moved to the UK, the 57th FIS was disbanded / transferred. Hence, it could be as he said - not all machines had CFT at that time - it could be related to moving the planes to another place. I have now started looking at information about the 57th FIS from 1980-1995 and in fact in 1994-5 the 57th FIS was "disbanded" and its functions were rotation taken over by F-15Cs from Lakenheath in UK and from NG. And in fact, there is information that this is the ONLY squadron that operationally used the F-15C with CFT.

[Brah389]

23 hours ago, Nahen said:

Good,I'm after talking on the phone "hot" 57 FIS from Keflavik could fly with CFT. A friend was there around 1994/95 and then transferred to Lakenheath for the 493rd of the 48th Wing. Earlier, I talked to him about various things and asked about CFT and he replied as I wrote. Now we just talked only about it. According to him, when he moved to the UK, the 57th FIS was disbanded / transferred. Hence, it could be as he said - not all machines had CFT at that time - it could be related to moving the planes to another place. I have now started looking at information about the 57th FIS from 1980-1995 and in fact in 1994-5 the 57th FIS was "disbanded" and its functions were rotation taken over by F-15Cs from Lakenheath in UK and from NG. And in fact, there is information that this is the ONLY squadron that operationally used the F-15C with CFT.

All combat coded C-model squadrons rotated out of Iceland at one point or another, wasn't just a RAFL thing, The 67th FS did it (Kadena), I did it when I was in the 44th FS in '98 and the 493rd in 2002, Alaska which had the 12th (after they deactivated in '99 from Kadena) & 19th FS, Mountain Home with the 390th FS.  Bitburg/Spangdahlem both participated when they weren't doing Northern Watch before they divested their C-models. We had CFTs crated and rotting when I got to Kadena in '95 and the old-timers back then claimed we never flew with them because they were WRM assets.

[Nahen]

17 hours ago, Brah389 said:

All combat coded C-model squadrons rotated out of Iceland at one point or another, wasn't just a RAFL thing, The 67th FS did it (Kadena), I did it when I was in the 44th FS in '98 and the 493rd in 2002, Alaska which had the 12th (after they deactivated in '99 from Kadena) & 19th FS, Mountain Home with the 390th FS.  Bitburg/Spangdahlem both participated when they weren't doing Northern Watch before they divested their C-models. We had CFTs crated and rotting when I got to Kadena in '95 and the old-timers back then claimed we never flew with them because they were WRM assets.

I confirm that a large part of the pilots who did not fly from Keflavik at that time think so - hence my categorical claim that the F-15Cs were not operationally used with CFT. Single photos could not be a confirmation, because they could always be taken on some occasion of training, research or other occasional situations. It turns out that 57 FIS and the period 1985-93/4 in Keflavik is something like "dark zone" or "area 51" in the history of the F-15C.  

[Brah389]

4 hours ago, Nahen said:

I confirm that a large part of the pilots who did not fly from Keflavik at that time think so - hence my categorical claim that the F-15Cs were not operationally used with CFT. Single photos could not be a confirmation, because they could always be taken on some occasion of training, research or other occasional situations. It turns out that 57 FIS and the period 1985-93/4 in Keflavik is something like "dark zone" or "area 51" in the history of the F-15C.  

Edwards AFB and Eglin AFB did some crazy stuff with C-models back in the day!

[shagrat]

Am 28.1.2023 um 15:42 schrieb Scott-S6:

Of course, RB could give the option to remove CFTs but, other than deleting hardpoints, it changes nothing. That would piss off the purists and the performance chasers.

I really love this approach... A real compromise, where everyone gets what he wished for, but in a way that does not accomplish the goal behind the wish.

[SkateZilla]

12 hours ago, Nahen said:

I confirm that a large part of the pilots who did not fly from Keflavik at that time think so - hence my categorical claim that the F-15Cs were not operationally used with CFT. Single photos could not be a confirmation, because they could always be taken on some occasion of training, research or other occasional situations. It turns out that 57 FIS and the period 1985-93/4 in Keflavik is something like "dark zone" or "area 51" in the history of the F-15C.  

They Put CFTs on the F-15Cs that were flying out of iceland, outside of that, ANG started to adopt them.

[doedkoett]

On 2/2/2023 at 8:14 PM, Coole28 said:

Interesting to see those CFTs on a C model, never actual seen them on an operational airframe.  Guess they had some very niche use after all.  I’m curious what the “full selection of A/G stores” entails though.  To me “full selection” means “more than just dumb bombs”.  I know some C models had CCIP upgrades so they weren’t limited to reference drops, but did any actually have guided weapons?

The F-15C and D´s in IDF are sometimes equipped with CFT´s and bombs so they look like F-15E´s. Here´s one with JDAM, which I count as a guided weapon. I am no expert on the F-15, just saw some pics of gray IDF Eagles with a lot of bombs a while ago and first thought they had painted their F-15I's gray.

[JUICE-AWG]

JUST MAKE A REAL EAGLE...FULL FIDELITY.
 

On 2/5/2023 at 9:22 AM, Brah389 said:

Edwards AFB and Eglin AFB did some crazy stuff with C-models back in the day!

I worked Eagle Ops in the late 90s at KEF...we had no permanent aircraft by then and relied on TDY  Eagles and Vipers for our alert commitment to the Greenland/UK Gap.  When you are on an island surrounded by big, big cold ocean, extra fuel is a need, not a want.

[strikeeagle]

On 2/3/2023 at 1:25 PM, Nahen said:

 And in fact, there is information that this is the ONLY squadron that operationally used the F-15C with CFT.

Kadena flew w/CFT’s for a very brief period.