American

030918 - F-15 EAGLE: Undefeated 4th Generation Super Fighter

By Bertie Simmonds

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. Designed as a pure air superiority machine, the Eagle has since become one of the best fighter-bombers in its class: the Strike Eagle.   Since it entered service in 1976, around 1600 F-15s have been built for six air forces around the world. Fast and agile, the Eagle has been the defensive tip of the spear for the Free World. 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.