Photo: Air Combat Command
Project Strike Rodeo is the story of how a great idea can turn into a fully-funded official operation that goes beyond limitations and makes the impossible possible.
It all started with a problem. Earlier this year, during a Weapons and Tactics Conference (WEPTAC), expert tacticians were analyzing whether a formation of fighter jets would be more effective than a single bomber, in carrying Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) for missions in highly-contested environments. This way, the size of the strike package could be reduced and risks would be distributed. But the problem was that a fighter jet can only carry maximum two JASSMs.
This is how the idea of enabling a fighter to carry more than two missiles was born and the F-15E Strike Eagle was chosen as a test jet. However, Project Strike Rodeo seemed to get stuck before it even began, because these particular munitions did not fit on the F-15E’s fuel tank weapons stations. The JASSM could only be loaded straight from its container, which was too big to fit under the F-15E’s base.
But then, a team of eager and resourceful soldiers from different units within the 53rd Wing, 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, decided to keep pushing for a solution. According to Lt. Col. Mike Benitez, 53rd Wing director of staff, everybody was excited about this and wanted to give a helping hand.
Together with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, they came up with the idea of a special loading tool. The tool was designed, manufactured and new loading procedures were also set up. Then, the Project managed to obtain a funding for the actual load test, which proved to be a success. For the first time, an F-15E could now be loaded with 5 JASSMs.
In less than half of year, what was just an idea, at first, turned into Project Strike Rodeo. And it doesn’t stop here, as future flight tests are expected for the F-15E, which would double its current JASSM-carrying capacity.
This is how the idea of enabling a fighter to carry more than two missiles was born and the F-15E Strike Eagle was chosen as a test jet. However, Project Strike Rodeo seemed to get stuck before it even began, because these particular munitions did not fit on the F-15E’s fuel tank weapons stations. The JASSM could only be loaded straight from its container, which was too big to fit under the F-15E’s base.
But then, a team of eager and resourceful soldiers from different units within the 53rd Wing, 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, decided to keep pushing for a solution. According to Lt. Col. Mike Benitez, 53rd Wing director of staff, everybody was excited about this and wanted to give a helping hand.
Together with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, they came up with the idea of a special loading tool. The tool was designed, manufactured and new loading procedures were also set up. Then, the Project managed to obtain a funding for the actual load test, which proved to be a success. For the first time, an F-15E could now be loaded with 5 JASSMs.
In less than half of year, what was just an idea, at first, turned into Project Strike Rodeo. And it doesn’t stop here, as future flight tests are expected for the F-15E, which would double its current JASSM-carrying capacity.
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