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F-15E – Anatomy of a Strike Fighter
Conceptually the F-15E Dual Role Fighter (DRF) represents a further step in the implementation of a philosophy that Is traditional to the USAF.
The idea of using a long-range fighter escort for strike duties emerged in World War II, when the USAAF based in Europe employed its P-47s and P-51s and in particular, its twin-engined P-38 Lightnings for deep strike duties. The P-38s successfully disrupted transport, air defence operations and attacked even major industrial targets, such aspetrochemical plants. The aircraft were usually led by two-seat pathfinders; after bombing the targets with 1000 pounders from medium or low altitude they would empty their guns at surface targets of opportunity or engage Luftwaffe fighters. The concept proved itself in spite of the inability of the USAAF to assert itself very effectively in combat with the nimbler Me-109Gs and FW-190As.
Vietnam saw the reappearance of this philosophy, most of the hard work being done by the F-105s and later F-4C/D/Es. Often the aircraft would bomb from medium altitudes, led by an RB-66 Pathfinder, though a very large proportion were in fact direct low altitude bomb/rocket/gun attacks on both preplanned targets and targets of opportunity. Though the latter tactic was essentially more devastating as the attackers could pay alot of attention to individual targets, it became. costlier as the communists increased the density of their SAM and AAA defences.
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