LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The 71st Fighter Squadron launched the first active duty F-15 Eagle equipped with Boeing's Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system May 12.
Boeing technicians installed the AESA radar, known as the V3, on the first of eight F-15s to receive the upgrade. Lt. Col. Joel Cook, 71 FS commander, piloted the aircraft during the operational check flight.
"The 71 FS was very fortunate to be the first active duty unit to fly with it," said Cook. "[Boeing's] hard work and diligence made the flight possible and a huge success."
Eric Petrucci, a Boeing V3 representative, said the V3 represents a significant advance in radar technology.
"The system substantially increases the power of the Air Force F-15C, making it more lethal and less vulnerable than ever before," he said.
Using active electronic beam scanning, which allows the radar beam to be steered at nearly the speed of light, the V3 radar optimizes situational awareness and provides superior air-to-air capability, Petrucci added.
Cook said the radar "performed flawlessly," and that he and the squadron look forward to increasing their capability and lethality with the upgraded fighters.