Over the six-week campaign, F-15Cs were credited with a whopping 34 confirmed air-to-air kills, accounting for the bulk of coalition victories in the air.
There’s something about the fourth-generation warplanes in America’s arsenal that hits just right among most airplane enthusiasts and defense experts. The fourth generation of American aircraft was born in the difficult years after the Vietnam War—a time in which the Americans, reeling from their defeat in Indochina, still needed to outcompete the Soviet Union in the Cold War.
One of the most iconic warplanes of that fourth-generation series was the F-15 Eagle.
Indeed, the F-15C and F-15D variants proved themselves more than worthy of the title of two of the greatest warplanes ever designed by the United States.
When Operation Desert Storm commenced in 1991, the mission was for the United States to lead a coalition force to liberate the tiny nation of Kuwait, which had been invaded and occupied by their larger Iraqi neighbor. The F-15C and F-15D were air superiority fighters—and, as soon as combat operations commenced, they went about neutralizing the Iraqi Air Force in Kuwait.
Some Facts About the F-15C and F-15D
The F-15 Eagle was developed by McDonnell Douglas in the 1970s as a dedicated air superiority fighter to counter the Soviet Union’s advanced MiG warplanes. The F-15C, a single-seat variant, and the F-15D, its two-seat counterpart, were optimized for air-to-air combat, boasting a combination of speed, agility, and cutting-edge technology.
Powered by twin Pratt & Whitney F100 engines, the Eagles could reach speeds exceeding Mach 2.5 and operate at altitudes above 60,000 feet. Their AN/APG-64 radar systems provided long-range detection and tracking, while an arsenal of AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, later supplemented by the AIM-120 AMRAAM, gave them unmatched lethality in the unfriendly skies.
Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the U.S.-led coalition amassed forces in Saudi Arabia. When diplomatic efforts to roll back the Iraqi invasion failed, President George H.W. Bush launched Operation Desert Storm on January 17, 1991. A massive air campaign to cripple Iraq’s military infrastructure and air defenses was initiated immediately.
But the Iraqi Air Force, equipped with Soviet-built MiG-29s and French Mirage F1s, posed a threat that mission. With over 700 combat aircraft, it was one of the largest and most advanced air forces in the world at the time, at least on paper. Neutralizing it was critical for achieving air supremacy—a task which the F-15C and F-15D were uniquely qualified.
How the U.S. Air Force Established Air Dominance over Kuwait
On the first night of the campaign, F-15Cs from the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing engaged Iraqi aircraft attempting to challenge coalition forces. Captain John Kelk, flying an F-15C, scored the first air-to-air kill of the war, downing a Mirage F1 with an AIM-7 Sparrow missile. This engagement set the tone for the Eagles’ dominance, as they would go on to systematically dismantle Iraq’s air force.
Over the six-week campaign, F-15Cs were credited with a whopping 34 confirmed air-to-air kills, accounting for the bulk of coalition victories in the air. These included what were, at that time, top-of-the-line Soviet systems like the MiG-25s and MiG-29. Crucially, no F-15s were ever shot down by Iraqi aircraft, though two were reportedly downed by ground fire.
A critical advantage for the U.S. Air Force was the Eagles’ advanced radar, which allowed them to detect and engage targets beyond visual range (BVR)—and often before Iraqi pilots with weaker radars could respond. Indeed, this was a common occurrence throughout the war in all of its branches. American systems, whether the F-15Cs and F-15Ds or the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks on the ground below, consistently had next-level situational awareness when compared to the Iraqis’ Soviet weapons systems.
And this was a fact that many military leaders in the then-disintegrating Soviet Union took note of—as well as leaders in China, poised to emerge as the rising challenger of the upcoming twenty-first century. Saddam Hussein’s forces sported some of the most advanced Soviet equipment around. Had the Cold War ever turned hot, given the clear superiority of American systems compared to their top-of-the-line Soviet counterparts, they wondered whether it would have ever been a real fight at all.
America’s F-15s Annihilated the Iraqi Air Force
However, in spite of the F-15’s range advantages, it also had opportunities throughout the war to display its superior dogfighting skills—notably in the case of Captain Rick Tollini and his wingman, Captain Larry Pitts. Both men piloted F-15Cs when they went up against Iraqi MiG-25s and downed them.
That’s because the F-15s were far more maneuverable, due largely to their higher thrust-to-weight ratio and fly-by-wire controls that outclassed Iraqi fighters. Even when Iraqi pilots managed to close within visual range, the F-15’s AIM-9 Sidewinders and 20mm M61 Vulcan cannons proved decisive.
Another key feature of the F-15s was the look-down/shoot-down capability of their radar systems, which allowed the Eagles to detect low-flying Iraqi aircraft against ground clutter—a critical advantage in the desert environment. There were also considerable electronic countermeasures, including chaff and flares, that often protected the F-15s from Iraqi surface-to-air (SAM) batteries.
Thus, the F-15’s performance in Desert Storm solidified its reputation as the world’s best air superiority fighter. Their 34-0 air-to-air kill ratio underscored their dominance, while the F-15’s ability to operate in a high-threat environment validated decades of investment in design and training. The conflict also highlighted the importance of air superiority in modern warfare, as the Eagles’ success enabled coalition strike aircraft to operate with minimal interference.
Desert Storm marked a major turning point in the excellent lifespan of the F-15 Eagle, proving its relevance well beyond the Cold War it was designed to fight and win. Indeed, the F-15s had an enormous influence on their intended successor, the fifth-generation air superiority warplane, the F-22 Raptor. The F-15C continued to serve in later conflicts, while the F-15Ds maintained a robust training role to ensure a steady pipeline of skilled pilots. And newer variants of the Eagle—namely Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II—are constantly being modernized and upgraded to remain relevant in the years to come.
If Desert Storm was unique in the annals of America’s wars, the F-15C and F-15D were primary factors for why that conflict—and the U.S. victory—were so impressive.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
