Summary
- “Lucky” surpasses 15,000 hours on combat mission
- “Lucky” credited with air-to-air kill in 1991
- F-15E Strike Eagle “Lucky” has two-man aircrew
On May 17, 2024, a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle with the tail number #89-0487 (dubbed “Lucky”) marked a remarkable milestone. It surpassed 15,000 flight hours while carrying out a combat sortie. Adding to the accomplishment, “Lucky” is the only F-15E in the US Air Force credited with an air-to-air kill. No F-15 Eagle has ever been shot down in combat.
“Lucky” surpasses 15,000 hours on combat mission
“Lucky” is known to be currently deployed in the US Central Command area of responsibility; however, it is unclear exactly what the May 17 combat sortie was.
The F-15E Strike Eagle “Lucky” has two aircrew—one pilot and one weapon systems officer. It first entered service in 1989 (making it one of the Air Force’s older fighters) and has now seen around 35 years of service. It was first delivered to the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in 1989 to the 335th Fighter Squadron.
The achievement underscores the success of the F-15E Strike Eagle family of fighter jets. While the F-22 Raptor was intended to replace the F-15 family, its early cancelation and low production numbers have seen the F-15 family remain in production (now as the advanced F-15EX Eagle II variant). F-15s will now outlive the F-22 (their intended successor) and will complement the Air Force’s fleet of F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighter jets.
The relatively lower operating costs, impressive range, and large payload mean that the F-15 Strike Eagles will serve well into the future. The idea is that the stealthy F-35 can pave the way, destroying enemy air defense to create a more permissive environment so that the F-15 can follow with greater payloads and firepower.
These days, the F-15E variant is aging, and the Air Force requested to divest 25 F-15E Strike Eagles (and 32 Block 20 F-22 Raptors). However, it appears that Congress has blocked these retirements – it is unclear if “Lucky” was one of the 25 F-15Es the Air Force wanted to retire in Fiscal Year 2025. Congress went further and authorized the acquisition of another 24 F-15EX Eagle IIs.
Related
The F-15EX Eagle II vs The F/A-18 Super Hornet: Which Fighter Reigns Supreme?
F-15EX vs F/A-18 doesn’t entail just another interservice (USAF vs USN) rivalry. It’s also an intra-manufacturer rivalry, i.e. Boeing vs Boeing.
“Lucky’s” air-to-air kill
On February 14, 1991, “Lucky” became the only US F-15E to achieve an air-to-air victory. Lucky was piloted by Captain Richard T. Bennett in the engagement with Daniel B. Bakke as the weapon systems operator. Lucky (then a virtually brand new aircraft) responded to a distress call from Special Forces who were facing three Iraqi Mi-24 Hind helicopter gunships.
Photo: USAF
At the time of the distress call, Lucky was already airborne on a Scud patrol mission. The aircraft had to fly through challenging weather and evade anti-aircraft fire before detecting the Hinds. Lucky fired a laser-guided GBU-10 missile at one of the helicopter gunships, disintegrating it in a fireball around 245 meters or 800 feet above the ground. The remaining Iraqi Mi-24 Hinds then retreated, and the Special Forces team was able to withdraw safely.