F-15E Strike Eagle
Initial Qualification Course — March 2026 Edition
This course qualifies pilots to safely operate the F-15E Strike Eagle under the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB. Eight lessons cover sim setup, aircraft systems, Seymour Johnson airfield operations, flight fundamentals, air-to-ground employment, AAR, instruments, and tactical operations. Additional mission-type and unit-specific material will be provided by the 4th FW upon unit assignment.
Unit Supplement Required. This B-Course covers core qualification standards. Additional tactical curricula, mission sets, and 4th FW-specific procedures are maintained by the unit and issued upon assignment.
Course Structure — 7 Lessons
Lessons 1–3
Sim setup · Aircraft systems · Seymour Johnson procedures
Lessons 4–5
Flight fundamentals · Air-to-ground weapons
Lessons 6–7
AAR · Instruments · Tactical ops
Simulation Setup & Ground School
Before your first flight, confirm all required software and add-ons are installed. The 4th FW operates the DC Designs F-15E on MSFS 2020 or 2024 with unit-specific add-ons for accurate avionics and scenery.
Required Software
- MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024
- Little NavMap — flight planning and situational awareness
- JoinFS — multiplayer connectivity
- MSFS Add-Ons Linker — manage community add-ons
- Reshade (NVG preset) — night vision goggles simulation
- TFR-AP — terrain-following radar autopilot (low-level ops)
Required Add-Ons
- DC Designs F-15 — base aircraft (Justflight or Marketplace)
- Devil F-15 Avionics Update — 4th FW avionics package
- Devil KGSB Scenery — Seymour Johnson AFB
- Dare County Range Scenery (Oozler's) with all dependencies — primary training range
Aircraft Reference Documents
The primary flight manual is TO-1F-F15E-1-DCD-vTAC, maintained in the 4th FW Training Discord. Review checklists and system overviews prior to first flight. vSJ AFBI 11-250 governs all airfield operations at Seymour Johnson — pilots must review it prior to L3.
Aircraft Systems & Cockpit Qualification
Demonstrate familiarity with all primary F-15E cockpit systems prior to flying. The Strike Eagle's dual-seat, dual-role design requires proficiency in both the pilot front cockpit and the WSO rear cockpit interface.
UFCP & Navigation
- NAV/radio frequency setting
- VOR/TACAN channel entry and identification
- Waypoint management and steerpoint selection
MFD Displays
- ADI — attitude and flight path
- HSI — horizontal situation / nav
- TSD — tactical situation display
- A/A and A/G radar pages
- Armaments: load, monitor, select/fire
- FLIR / IR / weapons cameras
- TFR — terrain-following radar
Performance Data
| Gross Weight (lbs) | Max Thrust Rot/LO/TO (kts) | Mil Thrust Rot/LO/TO (kts) |
|---|---|---|
| 40,000 | 110 / 128 / 152 | 115 / 125 / 143 |
| 45,000 | 115 / 132 / 156 | 120 / 129 / 146 |
| 60,000 | 130 / 144 / 166 | 135 / 142 / 163 |
Landing Speed (flaps down)
~130 kts @ 30,000 lbs / ~175 kts @ 50,000 lbs
Fuel Burn (representative)
~5,700 lbs/hr @ FL350 · ~9,400 lbs/hr low-level 440 KTAS
Seymour Johnson AFB Operations
All 4th FW pilots must comply with vSJ AFBI 11-250. RWY 08/26 is the primary runway (11,760 ft grooved asphalt/concrete). The F-15E ramp is the primary parking area; TWY Foxtrot is the standard arrival taxi route to chocks.
Key Frequencies
- Clearance Delivery — 128.025
- Ground — 132.450
- Tower — 126.250
- ATIS — 317.625
- N Dept/App — 119.700 (LC 4)
- S Dept/App — 123.700 (LC 5)
- SJAFB Emergency — 277.4
Local TACAN/VOR
- GSB — 112X / 116.50 MHz (Seymour Johnson)
- ISO — 122X / 117.50 MHz (Kingston)
- TYI — 125X / 117.80 MHz (Tar River/Rocky Mount)
- EWN — 113.60 MHz (New Bern VOR/DME)
- POB — 85X / 113.8 MHz (Pope/Fayetteville)
- RDU — 119X / 117.20 MHz (Raleigh-Durham)
Standard Taxi Routes
Departure — RWY 26
TWY Alpha → TWY Juliet (arming area). Request taxi with ATIS and clearance. Cross departure end at or below 1,000 ft MSL unless quick/unrestricted climb approved.
Departure — RWY 08
TWY Alpha → TWY Bravo (arming area). Aircraft needing TWYs J or G must contact Ground for clearance prior to taxi to deconflict ramp traffic.
Arrival
After landing RWY 26, return to chocks via TWY Foxtrot (no clearance call required). All other routing requires Ground clearance.
Hot Pit Refueling
Primary: TA Ramp. Alternate: 916 ARW ramp left row. Engine shutdown in dearming, restart in arming. Request taxi to/from hot pit from Ground prior to proceeding.
VFR Traffic Pattern & Recovery
Overhead Pattern (Fighters)
1,800 ft MSL. Break over approach end. Weather minimums: 3,000/3. Minimum VFR is 3,000/3 (day) and 3,000/5 (night VFR pattern).
IFR Recovery
GSB supports TACAN, RNAV, and ILS approaches. Radar trail recovery limited to 4 aircraft, 9,000–12,000 ft spacing. All aircraft transferred to Tower at ~10-mile final.
Echo MOA & Local Area
The Echo MOA is the primary local training area, designated for military training operations (no aerial refueling). Published hours: Mon–Fri 0600–2000L. Contact Clearance for MOA clearance prior to takeoff (issued to GSB 263/16). Monitor 263.15 inside the MOA.
Sample Radio Calls (Abbreviated)
Clearance: "SEYMOUR CLEARANCE, [AC], VFR/IFR CLEARANCE TO [DEST] WITH INFO CHARLIE"
Engine Start: "SEYMOUR GROUND, [AC], ENGINE START ALPHA 1"
Departure Taxi: "SEYMOUR GROUND, [AC], TAXI FROM ALPHA 1 WITH INFO CHARLIE AND CLEARANCE"
Takeoff: "SEYMOUR TOWER, [AC] AND COMPANY, READY RUNWAY 26"
Arrival (35 NM): "SEYMOUR APPROACH, [AC], 35NM OUT WITH ATIS DELTA, REQUEST TACTICAL INITIAL"
Clear Active: "SEYMOUR TOWER, [AC], CLEAR ACTIVE" → Tower: "OVER TO GROUND"
Flight Fundamentals & Formation
Demonstrate proficiency in normal takeoff, landing, and formation procedures. The primary role of the F-15E demands formation discipline and FENCE check compliance on every sortie.
Takeoff Procedure
- Advance engines to 82%, check instruments
- Release brakes, advance throttles to MIL or MAX
- At rotation speed, smooth aft stick to ~10° (20 units) pitch
- Retract gear and flaps when airborne
- Climb at 350 kts to 0.88 Mach, maintain Mach to cruise
Landing Procedure
- Break at 300 kts minimum, set power to maintain altitude
- Gear and flaps below 250 kts on downwind
- Base turn: reduce to arrive final at 20–22 units AOA (~180 kts)
- Retard throttles to IDLE at flare, reduce rate of descent
- After touchdown: maintain 20 units AOA for aerodynamic braking
- Deploy airbrake; lower nose below 90–100 kts, then apply wheel brakes
FENCE Check — Combat Entry/Exit
F — Fire Control
Master Arm and HUD master mode (NAV / A/A / A/G)
E — Emitters
TCAS, A/A TACAN, radios, RALT — set as required for mission phase
N — NAVAIDs
HSD area setup, steerpoints, waypoints verified
C — Camera
Confirm VTR/recording on
E — ECM
Countermeasures dispenser (CMD) set as briefed. Use FENCE-IN entering MOA/target area and FENCE-OUT on egress.
Formation Standards
Close Formations
- Fingertip — arrivals, departures, wx penetration; align air intake leading edge with canopy
- Route — 2 ship-widths to ~500 ft; extended clearing and maneuvering
- Echelon — all wingmen same side; used for overhead breaks
BVR & Tactical
- Spread — line abreast, 0–30° aft, 500–4,000 ft spacing
- Tactical BVR — 0–10° off lead's 3/9 line, 10–20 NM separation
- Trail — short 10–15 NM, medium 20–25 NM, long 30–35 NM
Wingmen always maneuver to keep sight. Flight lead holds ultimate responsibility for safe and effective conduct of the mission.
Air-to-Ground Weapons Employment
The primary role of the F-15E is ground attack. Understand delivery modes, bombing angles, safe escape maneuvers, and range procedures before conducting any live-weapons event at Dare County Range.
Pre-Attack Checks
- Preflight — verify weapon types match mission plan; enter into Armaments–Ground MFD page
- Battle Damage Check — wingman visual inspection after takeoff and after leaving combat area; check for secure/hung weapons and aircraft damage
- FENCE-IN — complete at MOA/route entry: fuel, emitters, NAVAIDs, camera, ECM
Altitude Considerations
Low (<1,000 ft): Tactical surprise, terrain masking, avoids high-alt missiles. Higher fuel burn, AAA/small arms threat. Do not fly below 100 ft unless mission essential.
Medium: Better SA and fuel efficiency; easier target acquisition. More visible to radar and long-range SAMs. Use large landmarks (highway interchanges, ridgelines) for nav.
Delivery Modes & Dive Angles
Visual level delivery. Fast and low, jinking to avoid AAA. Release when crosshair is on target; pull up immediately to avoid blast fragments.
Low-angle dive. Small climb then bunt into shallow dive. Watch the altimeter — shallow angle makes it easy to misjudge terrain clearance.
High-altitude dive. Approach at 500+ kts, pull up 4 miles out, roll in over the top into steep dive. Ensure at least 5 seconds wings-level tracking before release.
Safe Escape Maneuvers
Steep Dive (>20°): After release, pull 2.0 Gs within 2 seconds. At nose-horizon, push throttle to Mil and continue to 20–30° climb.
Shallow Dive (<20°): Level or descending turn away from target per briefed SEM. Reference flight manual for weapon-specific requirements.
Range Radio & Box Pattern
- Must receive "Cleared Hot" before any ordnance release
- "[CS] Off Dry" if no release during the pass
- Box pattern one lap ≈ 80–90 seconds
- Three keys on Base: correct airspeed, altitude, and distance
- Abort if dive angle is >5° steeper than planned
- After final pass: FENCE-OUT, "Safety Check" with all members
Two-Ship Deconfliction
Time
90/90 maneuver: wingman turns 90° away for 20 sec, then back. Puts approx. 5 miles separation.
Altitude
Wingman overflies the frag of #1's bombs. More target visibility; more SAM exposure.
Distance
Targets must be >3,700 ft apart for simultaneous attack without mutual frag risk.
Air-to-Air Refueling & Instrument Flight
The F-15E uses a slipway-based boom receptacle for AAR. Proficiency in refueling and instrument approaches extends mission reach and enables all-weather recovery at Seymour Johnson and alternate fields.
AAR Sequence
- Guide flight to within 20 NM of tanker orbit at 1,000 ft below tanker altitude
- Set TACAN to tanker frequency, mode AA T/R. Contact tanker: "[Tanker CS], [Flight CS], Flight of 2 F-15s, Inbound, [dist] miles [direction]"
- Rejoin echelon left, route spacing. Closure: 100 kts >1 NM, 50 kts at 0.5 NM, reduce 10 kts per 0.1 NM
- Lead in to pre-contact, flight to left-wing observation
- Open slipway door, drop below tanker, 50–100 ft behind boom
- Advance power 1–2 kts Vc for contact. Small corrections — never chase the boom
- On disconnect: close slipway door, transition down and aft, reform in high area
Instrument Approaches at KGSB
Seymour Johnson supports TACAN, RNAV (GPS), and ILS approaches. All aircraft transfer to Tower at ~10-mile final — no PAR or radar final control available.
- ILS RWY 26 — primary instrument approach; ALSF-1 approach lighting
- TACAN RWY 26/08 — standard military recovery
- RNAV GPS RWY 26/08 — available with approved nav system
Night AAR
Day and night procedures are nearly identical. NVGs may be worn throughout the AAR process; remove them if the pilot finds refueling easier without. Advance navigation planning is required for night tanker rendezvous.
Tactical Operations & Mission Planning
Integrate all course skills into a complete tactical mission: planning, ingress, target attack, and egress. This lesson introduces pop-up deliveries, two-ship attack formations, and the tactical arrival procedure at Seymour Johnson.
Mission Planning Factors
- Weapon suitability — confirm weapon matches target type
- Desired effect — delivery angle selected to achieve required damage
- Environment — account for enemy SAMs, AAA, and friendly force locations
- Initial Point (IP) — select a recognizable landmark 10–20 NM from target for final run-in
- Use 4th FW Mission Data Card for all flights departing Seymour Johnson
Pop-Up Deliveries
Used when SAMs or weather prevent high-altitude approaches. Fly in low, pop up to attack altitude, then dive onto target.
- Direct Pop-Up — <15° angle-off
- Offset Pop-Up — 15–90°; fly 450+ kts, pull 3–4 Gs into 15–30° climb at Pop Point; roll in at Apex
- Indirect Pop-Up — >90°; maximum concealment; requires precise IP timing
Tactical Arrival (TAC) — Seymour Johnson
The TAC procedure allows 4th FW crews returning from the MOA to make a tactical high-speed descent instead of a straight-in instrument approach. TAC requires prior approval from both Tower and RAPCON.
- No more than one flight simultaneously
- Cancel IFR with RAPCON prior to commencing
- Position within 5 NM of GSB to begin
- Max initial altitude: 9,500 ft MSL (6,500 ft if Echo MOA active)
- Remain within 5 NM and south of runway centerline during descent
- Min ceiling/visibility: 500 ft above requested altitude, 3 SM
- Full stop only (no TAC to low approach)
- TAC authorized for 335/336 FS crews preparing for deployment
Egress
Egress planning is as important as ingress. Abort criteria: target destroyed, weather below minimums, fuel bingo, loss of mutual support, aircraft damage, or threat too heavy.
Two-ship standard egress: line abreast (best lookout). Four-ship: two separate two-ship elements to tactical rendezvous point, then join as full flight. If aircraft is a "wounded bird," initiate egress immediately — plan for friendly territory or safe ejection area.
4th FW / vACC — F-15E Strike Eagle
Completion of Lessons 1–7 authorizes F-15E Strike Eagle operations under the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB within vACC.
Unit Supplement: Additional mission sets, 4th FW tactical standards, and advanced employment curricula will be provided by the unit upon assignment. Contact 4th FW leadership on the vTAC Discord for further training materials.
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