F-15E Strike Eagle - USA

Recognising the further potential of the F-15 Eagle design, McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) developed the basic fighter into the very potent swing-role F-15E Strike Eagle, which made its first flight in December 1986 and entered US Air Force service in April 1988. The two-seat attack aircraft saw its combat debut during Operation 'Desert Storm', the 1991 Gulf conflict, in which it proved very successful. F-15Es have since taken part in operations in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. A total of 236 Strike Eagles were built for the USAF - the example present at RIAT 2017 will come from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, which has two F-15E squadrons under its control. Variants of the F-15E are also flown by Israel, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.