The U.S. Air Force has tested the capability of F-15E Strike Eagles to deliver nuclear weapons during an evaluation event at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in fall.
The Dual Capable Aircraft Nuclear Weapons System Evaluation Program saw the F-15Es drop B61-3 and B61-4 Joint Test Assemblies at the Tonopah Test Range at Nellis, the Air Force said Monday.
Lt. Col. Douglas Kabel, deputy director of strategic deterrence and nuclear integration at Air Combat Command, the event assesses the abilities of the maintenance crew, pilots and weapons airmen to ensure the stockpiling and delivery of nuclear capabilities.
“It improves our readiness by giving our warfighters the experience they would need to employ the F-15E and the B61 series weapons in a future conflict within a contested environment,” added Kabel.
DCA NucWSEP is just one of the many exercises and operations F-15Es are participating in to practice homeland security missions and interoperability with U.S. allies and security partners.
The Boeing-developed dual capable aircraft developed by Boeing is a part of the Air Force’s future fighter fleet that links fourth-generation jets with fifth and sixth-generation planes.