F-16CG vs F-15E

viperman26 · by **viperman26** » 10 Jun 2005, 00:18

How does the block 40/42 viper stack up against the F-15E in night attack capabilities? Im not so much talking about LANTRIN, just differences between what one can do and the other can't, and vice versa.

Thanks.

viperman26 · by **viperman26** » 11 Jun 2005, 18:24

Hmm...any takers?

StrikeViper · by **StrikeViper** » 26 Jun 2005, 21:07

The differences a fairly clear. The LANTIRN is the common like to their night attack ability. Well the F-15E can carry everything the Night Viper can except the GBU-28. The F-15E has a WSO to help ID targets and release the weapons and let the pilot concentrate on flying, unless you want to bring in the F-16DG into it.

The Eagle can go further and carry more plus it can act as an effective FAC aswell for fighters without it's ability to find and hit targets at night. The F-16 is more comfortable down low than the F-15 is because of the F-15s low wing loading. The APG-70 radar in the StikeEagle also has a SAR mode for accurtate blind boming with non LGB weapons. The F-16CG/DG won't have this ability until it gets the APG-68V9 radar in 2007/8 with the CCIP program.

Then there is the cost issue. You can buy two F-16CGs for every F-15E. But when the SDB come in the F-15E can carry 28 of these at once and the F-16 can manage 16.

But overall both have about equall ability to find and hit targets at night. The F-15E has the edge though.