Oregon Air National Guard's F-15EXs Complete First Live Bomb Drops
The 142nd Wing dropped live bombs from its F-15EX Eagle II jets during a three-week exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, a first for the type in operational service.
The Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Wing has dropped live bombs from operational F-15EX Eagle II fighters for the first time. The milestone came during three weeks of support for the U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in late August and early September. Imagery was released on Sept. 9.
Photos show the aircraft carrying Mk-82 500-pound bombs and an AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pod on the centerline station. Some spotters saw the jets leaving Nellis with larger Mk-84 2,000-pound bombs as well. An Air Force master sergeant from the 142nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron was shown loading a bomb onto an F-15EX on Aug. 27.
The live drops followed a deployment to Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho in early May, where the unit used inert BDU-50 and BDU-56 training versions of the Mk-82 and Mk-84. The F-15EXs delivered so far lack conformal fuel tanks, which would add hardpoints for air-to-ground ordnance like those on the F-15E Strike Eagle. Why the Sniper pod was carried on the centerline rather than the left intake pylon, as is typical for the F-15E, was not clear.
Sources
- theaviationist.comOregon ANG’s F-15EXs Drop Live Bombs For The First Time