RIYADH — Alsalam Aerospace Industries (AAI) has completed the first in-country conversion of an F-15S (Saudi) aircraft to F-15SA (Saudi advanced) standard, reports Arabian Aerospace Online News Service

The first locally converted Boeing F-15SR performed its initial functional check flight (FCF) from Riyadh International Airport on Jan. 15 2020.

The F-15SA is a derivative of the two-seat F-15E Strike Eagle multi-role fighter, and is the most advanced variant of the Eagle in service.

The aircraft is equipped with a Raytheon AN/APG-63(V)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a BAE Systems digital electronic warfare system/common missile warning system (DEWS/CMWS), and other advanced avionics systems.

The F-15SR designation is applied to F-15S Strike Eagle aircraft converted to the latest F-15SA standards.

Saudi Arabia has purchased 84 new-build F-15SAs, and at least 68 of these have now been delivered to the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). The 55th and 29th squadrons are now fully equipped.

The F-15SA program for Saudi Arabia includes the conversion of all surviving F-15S aircraft to the new standard, and 70 upgrade kits were ordered at the same time as the new-build aircraft.

The first two conversions were undertaken at Boeing’s facilities at St Louis, one by a Saudi team from AAI. These two aircraft were delivered (with the first two F-15SAs) in December 2016.

The company is manufacturing new wings, forward fuselages, pylons, and adaptors, as well as undertaking the upgrade. Riyadh-based AEC will manufacture certain avionics components as part of the program.

AAI accepted the first F-15S aircraft for conversion on Oct. 21 2018, and has now received 10 F-15S aircraft from the RSAF.

The first of these to be completed made its initial functional check flight on Feb. 2 2020, with the new nose section still in primer paint.

The F-15SR conversion program will take six years, with the final aircraft to be handed over by June 2026. — AAONS