Is Iran really in range? How far can the fighter jets of the air force go

Hello, this is the captain; In 1985, F15 planes returning from a unique operation landed in Israel – a secret flight two thousand kilometers from Israeli territory to the PLO headquarters in Tunis, and their elimination using television-guided weaponry. The operation was called “Wooden Leg”, and it was an exotic and unique attack in those days – a sensitive six-hour sortie. It is said that the crews got off the planes exhausted and said that they really hope that such attacks do not become the standard. The Air Force Headquarters has already assessed: such attacks will be required to save Israel in the future, perhaps they will even become routine.

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Lately we seem to be getting closer to that day: the Middle East has become a smaller neighborhood than ever before. The Houthis are sending drones and cruise missiles from Yemen to our territory, terrorists from Iraq are bombing Eilat, and above all hovers Iran with its nuclear project. Will we be able to reach it, if we have to?

An Air Force F15 takes off for a mission, loaded with bombs

(Photo: Air Force)

The Islamic Republic presents the greatest challenge – both remote and highly protected; It carries a host of advanced and dangerous anti-aircraft batteries, and fighter jet patrols, including an F14 with missiles that are capable of hitting a target flying further away than our missiles. In the future, its defense will also be upgraded with advanced Sukhoi 35 aircraft. km from our borders. I told you about it, it has a uranium enrichment complex underground, and a large facility on its surface.

The underground complex near the nuclear facility in Natanz, Iran

(Photo: Google Earth)

Note that there is nothing to talk about flying in a straight line: on the way we have to pass countries that will not necessarily welcome the attack, and even if they do not open fire – maybe we will inform the Iranians of what is coming.

Also, aerial refueling on the way is unlikely: the flying tanker will be spotted, and the enemy will be waiting in open crevices. There are other considerations in the picture: flying at high altitude is fast and efficient due to lower air resistance than at low altitude, while those who fly close to the ground will escape detection thanks to the curvature of the earth and the return of signals from the ground. Will the planes we have stand up to the challenge?

Aerial refueling over the territory of Israel

(Photo: IDF spokesman)

On paper, there is no problem: according to the data of the American Air Force, the farthest range an F15E fighter bomber can fly is 3,900 km – enough to get from London Ministor in Tel Aviv to London-London. But you must have guessed that I am not satisfied with the papers – and in practice , the range is not what it seems.

You see, fighter jets have several types of range. Let’s start with the longest of all: it’s called transfer range. This is the greatest distance an airplane can reach with a maximum fuel load. In the case of our F15, these are full internal tanks, plus three detachable tanks. And that’s how you can really reach the United Kingdom.

London has more movies, London has good music

(Photo: The Captain CC0 Project)

To get the farthest, the flight will be made at a high altitude and in a straight line as possible. But that’s a range that has no operational meaning: the number doesn’t include the effects of stealth, enemy fire, weather, or even lane.

No one is going to try to reach Iran on such an administrative flight; It has dangerous anti-aircraft crews that really like targets that fly like the sky belongs to them.

American F15 plane with three detachable fuel tanks

(Photo: USAF)

So what does transfer range even mean? As it sounds: it’s a delivery flight – placing planes in a friendly country for an exercise, or transferring them between factories and facilities.

When the range allows it, air forces would prefer to transport aircraft based on internal fuel rather than lift a flying tanker, simply to cut costs.

Israeli F15 squadron

(Photo: Air Force)

The next type of range is called maximum range or maximum operational range, and it already weighs mission components: it is the greatest distance a fighter plane can reach with the equipment it needs for its mission – armament and deception means – and return without refueling in the air. It is a classified figure, which is very dynamic and changes depending on what we set out to achieve.

For example, eight air-to-air missiles are lighter and more aerodynamic than eight bombs – and any addition that increases air resistance will strain the engine and cost us more fuel. Sometimes the force will also carry detachable tanks, electronic warfare pods, all of which change the potential range.

An Israeli F15 with bombs and anti-aircraft missiles

(Photo: Air Force)

The goal itself also affects the plan and therefore the range. Even if the road to it is open like a highway on Yom Kippur, what do we do if Khamenei’s bunker has a door that faces south, and we come from the west? If we take heavier armament that can crack the roof, we will again shorten the range and it is not certain that we will reach it.

If the door is from one direction, that’s where the armament will come from

(Photo: Survival Condo)

Another important influencing factor is the route of the land; If there are valleys and ridges on the road that you can hide in or behind, it is better to slow down and improve safety over speed. And of course the enemy himself also has an effect: if his alertness is very low, perhaps it is better to arrive quickly and high, instead of sneaking.

But the maximum range is not the determining figure either; It lacks the mission profile itself – after all, any change in height can substantially reduce the possible distance, and it changes at different stages of the execution.

An F15 plane flies inside a wadi, at low altitude

(Photo: USAF)

Now we come to the most significant type of range in the real world: maximum combat radius. This is the greatest distance a fighter plane can go, complete the mission in all its elements and illusions and return to base.

This figure is also dynamic and influenced by the operation plan, of course, but there are general numbers that can be identified – separated by type of mission; And deep attack missions like the one we are talking about have three profiles that are interesting to know.

Assault mission profiles, from top: Fast Hi-Lo-Hi, Balanced Lo-Lo-Hi, Secure Lo-Lo-Lo

(Photo: The Captain CC0 Project)

The first is called Hi-Lo-Hi, and refers to a high, fast and economical cruise up to the area of ​​the opponent’s defense systems. Here the fighters will dive to low altitude to avoid detection, bomb, move away and climb back up to cruise home quickly. It is the most efficient in terms of fuel, but the exposure to fire at high altitude is the longest.

The second is called Lo-Lo-Hi, and refers to cruising low until close to the target, attacking it, then stomping and quickly escaping. Here survival is better, of course at the expense of flight range; At low altitude the engines exert much more effort.

Flying at high altitude, with full burners

(Photo: Air Force)

And the third profile is Lo-Lo-Lo, low all the way. Optimal for stealth and surprise, but the range will be the shortest; If we have to take large and heavy bombs, it is not at all certain that we will arrive.

According to the manufacturer’s data, the F15E’s maximum mission radius for an air-to-ground mission is about 1,300 km. That’s a lot, a lot – but not enough to reach Natanz, certainly when you also have to zigzag along the way. So what do you do?

Far, but not enough. F15E radius compared to the location of the facility in Natanz

(photo: google maps)

First, it is important to look at the mission envelope to analyze a possible range. For example, there are ways to open a path in the enemy’s territory where you can fly both straight and high – to destroy part of his detection systems, or to drive them crazy with electronic warfare.

In this way, you don’t have to deal with the entire defense infrastructure of Iran, risk the lives of precious people and the integrity of precious planes, and still go deep into the territory.

Iranian anti-aircraft system in exercise

(Photo: AP)

Second, don’t forget the armament itself: bombs don’t fall straight down, and there are flying ones that allow you to drop them over great distances (we’ll talk about them another time). And the numbers are quite impressive: a standard GPS-guided smart bomb can hit like this from dozens of kilometers away.

And why settle for bombs? In our arsenal there are also smart missiles, which reach a much greater distance.

The missiles fly farther. A US F15E drops a GBU28 bunker buster bomb

(Photo: USAF)

But even with these pluses, the numbers just don’t add up: 1,300 km is a laboratory figure, and in the field it will inevitably be less – and our F15 will always be a few hundred kilometers short. How will we attack this target? How will we get far from it?

F15 airplane analog fuel gauge

(Photo: USAF)

Very simple: our planes can take off, zigzag, reach any relevant corner and return; After the attack has been carried out and you fly out of range of enemy fire, you can meet a refueling plane in international territory and return home with peace of mind. Yes, a refueling plane appearing between Israel and Iran is suspicious, but there are smart ways to place a tanker in international territory without giving evidence of a possible attack.

Bottom line, fighter jets have several types of range and each is affected by technical limitations and mission constraints. The Air Force has means, methods and creative ways to solve the range problems, and you probably guessed that we won’t reveal them here; I will suffice by saying that the long arm is able to reach as far as it needs to go, and no enemy wants to meet the fist at the end. Take care of yourselves, be alert and we will win.