gta4 wrote:First, we should define what "operational empty weight" (OEW) includes. Does it inclue pilot? gun-ammo? launchers? pylons? missiles? CFTs?
Secondly, we should not apply different standard when comparing aircraft performances. From Sukhoi website a single seater flanker takes-off at 23430 kg with 5270 kg fuel, 2 R73s and 2 R27s, which gives it an OEM of nearly 17500 kg. However, the single seater flanker is always reported to have an empty weight of 16400 kg on some forums or websites. That is not fair. That is not OEM, but "recovery weight" by US standard.
A single seater super hornet has a recovery weight of 30564 lbs and an OEM of 31500 lbs. A way to verify this: from Super hornet block II flight manual, the total fliying weight of a super hornet with 5 AIM-120s and 2 AIM-9s and a FLIR pod and 60% internal fual is 43768 lbs (5 AIM-120s + 1 pod means 2 tripple launchers are used). A double seater super hornet has an OEM of 32000 lbs, which is always confused by some amateurs as the empty weight of single seater.
Operating empty weight includes unrecoverable fuel, lubricant, aircrew, sometimes countermeasures. It does not include weapons, pods or any of those things above.
I don’t know when your F-15C manual is dated from, the 1985 flight manual states 29,000 OEW. That was pre-MSIP II. Aircraft gain weight over time. Boeing and the USAF had F-15 OEW as 31,700 and the F-15E with CFT as 37,500, which is interesting because the “C” is now near the original empty weight of the F-15E. The AESA adds weight as well. One indication of how much weight the f-15 has gained is that Boeing considered removing the the ballast in the nose as aircrafts C.G. had shifted over the years (actually this was flight tested many years ago, Pre-Boeing). Addition- post Boeing, and it was simulated, a war college paper (1991) weight ~29,000 lbs. author does not list MSIP II upgrades in avionics weight changes though.
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a244044.pdfEdit- interestingly AvWeek too lists the F-15C’s empty weight as 31,700 and the “E” without CFT as 33,070. In short, I don’t think we’re going to get a completely accurate updated weight, but it certainly does not weight the same as it did 27 odd years ago. Those numbers above look reasonably accurate, as i went back and referenced the 1993 F-15E flight manual and it listed OEW without CFT as 33,500 and with at 37,500.