What's this under an F-15E?

[Daryl J.]

Link: http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/f-15-eagle9.jpg

Rarely used? Prototype? Occasionally/Frequently carried?

In light of the upcoming F-15 group build, I've been looking for unusual F-15 loadouts. I'd never seen this before.

Daryl J., curious

[C-130CrewChief]

never seen that pointy thing before

[Capricorn]

I think its a nuke. Its has the shape of a B61, there is no guidance unit in the nose and no lifting fin, just the stearing ones at the base. Its very long and slick, (finesse ratio) just what modern nukes are. Its a bomb not a missile, had it been a missile it would have a more blunt nose with a guidance unit. The last missile with this type of nose was the radio controlled Bullpup, but this is modern.

Edited September 10, 2005 by Capricorn

[A6BSTARM]

Here is a few shots of the B61 Shape for comparison. I don't completely think it is a B61, it might be shot of testing done for the GBU-28 "Bunker Buster". The reasons for that if you look at the nose of this F-15 there is an extended pitot probe. That is probably gathering some sort of airborne weather data. This is probably one of the shots after DS when they were testing out a few of the left overs trying to see how best make them fly on the F-15E.

Edited September 11, 2005 by A6BSTARM

[C-130CrewChief]

Interesting

[SpiritZeroThree]

almost looks like a SRAM...

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/bomber/agm-69a-dvic394.jpg

http://www.fb-111a.net/JR1/images/JR04.jpg

[Capricorn]

This is strange, a instrumented test aircraft but without "testpainted" ordonance.

But could be a aerodynamic shape not meant to be relased. The SRAM as far as I rememeber was extremely aerodynamic so maybe they use it as a shape to test another weapon. Some sort of deep penetration device seems likely, conventional or nuclear armed.

Edited September 13, 2005 by Capricorn

[loki]

I am convinced that this is a SRAM. Look at the tail fins, very short.

[Grey Ghost 531]

I am convinced that this is a SRAM. Look at the tail fins, very short.

And only three fins. That's how many a SRAM has, right?

[mrvark]

Might be a AGM-137 Tri-Service Standoff Missile (TSSAM) developed in the early 1990s and then abandoned because of costs to be replaced by the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), which faces an uncertain fate because of cost and reliability concerns.

Definitely not a nuke or SRAM

[Murph]

Might be a AGM-137 Tri-Service Standoff Missile (TSSAM) developed in the early 1990s

Jim,

Doesn't look like it, according to these drawings http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-137.html I agree it's not a SRAM either; it's not fat enough, and the fin shapes are different.

Regards,

Murph

[Mark S.]

Gents:

Back in the 80's a there was a program to replace the SRAM with a new missile. Included in the effort was the design of a tactical varient. I forget which manufacturers were competing but one went as far as drop tests on the B-1B before the program was stopped at the end of the cold war. I think the shape shown was known as the SRAM2-T. You can see photos of the SRAM2 in Don Logan's B-1 book.

Mark

[Mark S.]

Gents:

Here's a link: http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/arm/arm43.htm

Mark

[mrvark]

I agree with AGM-131B SRAM-II. The B model was for use with the F-15E, while the A model was for the B-52H, B-1B & B-2A. (It is Monday...)

[Murph]

Got this info back from a Beagle guy (alomg with confirmation it is an AGM-131B):

The AGM-131B SRAM-T (SRAM-Tactical) was a version intended for use by the F-15E Eagle tactical strike aircraft. The SRAM-T reached the flight-test stage, but was eventually cancelled, too.

Regards,

Murph

Edited September 12, 2005 by Murph

[Daryl J.]

Thanks, everyone, for all the research. I didn't even know where to start.

Daryl J.