U.S. Air Force Pilot Dead After F-15 Crashes on Training Mission in England

The body of a pilot from the U.S. Air Force was recovered on June 16th after his F-15C Eagle fighter crashed on a routine training mission in Southeast England. Air Force Colonel Will Marshall, commander of the UK-based 48th Fighter Wing, stated regarding the loss: “It is with a very heavy heart that I confirm the pilot of the downed F-15C Eagle has been located and confirmed deceased.” The body was recovered in the North Sea. The F-15C is one of two classes of dedicated heavyweight air superiority fighter currently in service in NATO, and approximately 200 are deployed by the U.S. Air Force. The fighters are among the oldest in the American inventory, but much of the fleet has been upgraded with new avionics, electronic warfare systems and AESA radars to improve their capabilities. The fighters are the fastest in the world, capable of Mach 2.5 speeds, and are prized for their ability to carry a large radar, their excellent flight performance and their high endurance. The F-15C was initially expected to be retired from service by the mid 2010s and replaced by its fifth generation replacement the F-22 Raptor, but the decision to cut 75% of the planned Raptor fleet means the Eagle continues to make up the majority of the American air superiority fleet.