Boeing

A Boeing F15D Eagle air superiority fighter has become the first in the U.S. Air Force's inventory to reach 6,000 flight hours.

The F-15D, assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., reached the 6,000-hour mark on Dec. 16. It first flew on Jan. 7, 1982, and was delivered to the U.S. Air Force on March 3 that same year. It was the 702nd F-15 manufactured in St. Louis and the 30th D model (two seat) off the production line.

"The 6,000-hour milestone is not unexpected," said Ben Park, vice president of the F-15 program. "Full scale fatigue tests of various models of the F-15 airframe have demonstrated a structural life exceeding 16,000 flight hours for primary safety of flight structure. While the milestone is noteworthy, the number of flight hours represents less than half the useful economic life of the aircraft."

Boeing has built more than 1,400 F-15s since they entered operational service with the U.S. Air Force in 1974. Production of the F-15 continues in St. Louis today, with F-15Es for the U.S. Air Force, the F-15I for Israel and the F-15S for Saudi Arabia. The Japanese F-15J/DJs are built in Japan by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under license from Boeing.

Worldwide, F-15s have compiled more than 3.2 million flight hours.

The F-15 has a perfect air-combat record of 96 victories and one shared victory against zero defeats.

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