The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine military fighter developed to establish and maintain air superiority. The original Eagle family includes the single-seat F-15A and F-15C and the two-seat F-15B and F-15D.[1]F-15 EagleUnited States Air Force · af.mil · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Development and first flight
Test pilot Irving “Irv” Burrows flew the first F-15 on 27 July 1972 at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Boeing's account of Burrows' career records the flight as the beginning of the Eagle's flying history and connects the aircraft with the McDonnell Douglas test organisation that developed it.[2]An Eagle says goodbye: Remembering Irv Burrows, first F-15 pilotBoeing · boeing.com · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
The first two-seat F-15B flew in 1973. Deliveries followed, and the first Eagle intended for a combat squadron arrived in January 1976. The F-15C and F-15D entered the Air Force inventory from 1979, extending the original design with additional fuel and other improvements.[1]F-15 EagleUnited States Air Force · af.mil · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Design and role
The Eagle's air-superiority mission shaped its combination of radar, acceleration, manoeuvrability and weapons. Its twin-engine configuration and large airframe support substantial performance and fuel capacity. The Air Force describes the aircraft as an all-weather tactical fighter, rather than an aircraft restricted to clear-weather visual combat.[1]F-15 EagleUnited States Air Force · af.mil · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
The single-seat A and C models place operational duties with one pilot. The B and D have two seats and support training within the fighter family.[1]F-15 EagleUnited States Air Force · af.mil · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Flight controls and radar
The F-15 incorporated electronic stability augmentation and a pulse-Doppler fire-control radar. Its two afterburning Pratt & Whitney F100 engines gave the original aircraft a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one at normal tactical gross weight, supporting rapid acceleration and climbing performance.[3]Ad Inexplorata: The Evolution of Flight Testing at Edwards Air Force BaseAir Force Flight Test Center · aftc.af.mil · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details
Strike Eagle derivative
The F-15E Strike Eagle extended the Eagle design into an aircraft able to perform air-to-ground strike as well as air-to-air missions. The first production F-15E flew in December 1986. The derivative developed its own operational history, including combat missions, while retaining the basic Eagle lineage.[4]Strike Eagle still soars after 30 yearsAir Combat Command · acc.af.mil · Accessed 2026-09-13Open source details