ANCIENT＠お仕事募集中！

Those bulges aren’t oversized intake fairings. They’re fuel tanks. Two operational F-15EX Eagle IIs with the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing are now flying with conformal fuel tanks. Each CFT holds about 750 gallons and adds six weapon stations. On the Strike Eagle, those stations are principally where the air-to-ground weapons ride. The advantage is extra fuel with less drag than conventional drop tanks. But less drag doesn’t mean no drag. CFTs still affect speed and maneuverability, and unlike drop tanks, they cannot be jettisoned in flight. They stay with the jet for the entire sortie. This isn’t new hardware for the EX. The first two test jets, delivered in 2021, were tested with conformal tanks. The news is their operational use in Oregon. In a report published November 6, the Oregon Guard told The War Zone it had flown the approved configuration for the previous two weeks. More fuel, additional weapon stations, and tradeoffs that depend on the mission. That’s the story behind those bulges. Video: EX1 test aircraft at Eglin AFB, March 2021. File footage, not the Oregon aircraft. U.S. Air Force video by Tech. Sgt. John McRell. Reporting: The War Zone twz.com/air/operational-f-15… Video source: DVIDS dvidshub.net/video/789926/fi…