Without a doubt the finest air fighter currently in service with western air forces, the F-15 has held this position of dominance since it first entered service with the USAF in 1976. Dennis Jenkins delivers in-depth coverage of the systems, engines, and weapons of the incomparable F-15 Eagle. Contains coverage of the F-15s 20 test aircraft, the latest models and technology upgrades, and a Desert Storm kill log.

Since 1976, the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle has been the United States military's principle air superiority fighter. This complete history of the design and development of the aircraft capable of Mach 2 is accompanied by stunning photography and the story of the F-15's service in the Gulf War.

With its twin tail, the F-15 Eagle is probably the most recognizable military jet fighter in the skies today, and is undoubtedly the most successful jet fighter of all time, having never been shot down in combat. Flown not only by the US Air Force but by the air forces of Israel, Saudi Arabi and even Japan, and, with almost 30 years service, the F-15 is the world's leading operational air superiority and interceptor. Steve Davies and Doug Dildy draw on a vast array of sources including combat records, technical documents, and unpublished first-hand accounts from the pilots themselves to tell the story of this amazing plane, detailing such incredible feats as the Israeli F-15 which was successfully landed despite losing a wing. Containing over 100 breathtaking color photographs and comprising detailed technical information, this definitive history and guide to the world's most successful jet fighter is a "must have" for anyone interested in modern aviation.

Developed as a derivative of the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter, McDonnell Douglas' (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle has a radically different mission: to launch deep interdiction missions without additional fighter support or jamming. Since its first flight in 1986, the F-15E has performed a variety of missions including deep strikes against high-value enemy targets in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Allied Force, and providing close air support. It can carry over 23,000 pounds of payload, including the JDAM, AIM-9X, AGM-130 and AMRAAM, and is equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system. With its service life expected to reach to 2035 and beyond, the F-15E can be said to serve as the backbone of the U.S. Air Force. Its unparalleled range, persistence and weapons load make it indispensable. Developed in 1990, this 660-page, unclassified F-15E pilot manual is a wonderful resource for museum docents, historians, modelers, gamers, and anyone else who ever wondered what it would be like to sit in the cockpit of the Strike Eagle.

The F-15 has a combined air-to-air combat record of 104 kills to no losses as of February 2008. The F-15's air superiority versions, the A/B/C/D models, have not suffered any losses to enemy action. Over half of F-15 kills have been achieved by Israeli Air Force pilots. For more than forty years, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle has been the US Air Force's premier multi-role fighter jet. Made popular by its ubiquity during the Persian Gulf War, the F-15 has become one of the most recognized and revered fighter jets in the world today.

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is the undisputed king of fighter aircraft, scoring around 105 kills for zero losses in air-to-air combat.Originally designed as a pure air superiority machine to replace the multi-role F-4 Phantom II, the Eagle has since morphed into one of the most technologically advanced fighter-bombers in its class: the Strike Eagle.First taking to the air in 1972 and entering service in 1976, around 1600 F-15s have been built for six air forces around the world. Fast and agile but also large and expensive, only the wealthiest nations could afford the F-15.With almost 40 years of combat operations to its credit, the Eagle has been at the very sharp end since entering service. The Cold War saw the Eagle as the defensive tip of the spear for the Free World, while the Israelis blooded the Eagle in the Middle East when they first took delivery in 1979. Since then both fighter and strike versions have been in almost constant action, through Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and beyond in the war against terror. The story of the F-15 Eagle continues.

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, highly maneuverable, all-weather tactical jet fighter, designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful of modern jet fighters with 104 aerial combat victories to its credit, with no losses (combined figure across all user-air forces). The F-15 Eagle first flew in July 1972 and entered service with the USAF in 1976. It is expected to remain in service with the USAF until 2025.