Baz Meshupar
| This page is about the Israelian jet fighter Baz Meshupar. For other versions, see F-15 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Baz Meshupar (lit. "Improved Baz") was an Israeli upgrade to the Baz (IAF designation for the F-15A/B and F-15C/D) introduced from 1998. It featured new domestic electronics systems and avionics borrowed from the F-16 Barak, providing a helmet-mounted display and the capability to active-radar homing missiles, approaching the standards of the F-15E Strike Eagle. While attempts have been made since its introduction to replace it with imports such as the F-15E, F-16D, and F-35, the Baz Meshupar maintains its status as Israel's primary air superiority fighter to this day.
Introduced in Update "Seek & Destroy", the Baz Meshupar is akin to an Israeli version of the F-15C MSIP II, with the same armament and systems. It has access to the AIM-120A AMRAAM, a great ARH missile with very long range, a terminal self-guidance system, as well as advanced inertial navigation. This is the weapon that defines the F-15C, however, this aircraft also relies on its excellent flight performance for aerial dogfights. For short-medium range combat, it has access to AIM-9M air-to-air missiles, with IRCCM and very good manoeuvrability. However, it lacks access to modern AGMs or laser guided bombs.
General info
Flight performance
The F-15C Baz (Improved) Meshupar is a very agile fighter, its top speed is not as high as other fighters like the MiG-29SMT, but it compensates this with good energy retention, excellent acceleration and an adequate low speed manoeuvrability, after dogfights, the F-15C is capable to regain its speed quickly thanks to its good power to weight ratio.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 2,524 | 2,488 | 16764 | 21.6 | 22.2 | 285.7 | 272.0 | 750 |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 700 | ___ | ___ | ___ | ~__ | ~__ |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < ___ | < ___ | < ___ | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 | 2 | 13,590 kg | 349 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 12m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 40m fuel | ||
| 1,470 kg | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan | 15,421 kg | 16,583 kg | 18,080 kg | 19,693 kg | 31,486 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 12m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 40m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 6,070 kgf | 8,410 kgf | 1.09 | 1.01 | 0.93 | 0.85 | 0.53 |
| Optimal | 6,500 kgf (1,250 km/h) |
14,250 kgf (1,400 km/h) |
1.85 | 1.72 | 1.58 | 1.45 | 0.91 |
Survivability and armour
The Baz Meshupar does not have any armor like other modern jets, meaning that being hit by missiles or gunfire is usually fatal.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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The most important modifications are unlocking the AIM-9M and the AIM-120A, after that, prioritize modifications like G-Suit and all the engine modifications. If you need the F-15C for ground missions, ignore the performance modifications and unlock the GBU-8 guided bombs. However, note that the F-16D Barak II and F-16C Barak II are better choices when it comes to ground pounding.
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | EEGS |
 |
 |
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Offensive armament
The Baz Meshupar is armed with:
- 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (940 rpg)
- 240 x countermeasures
Suspended armament
The Baz Meshupar can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs | 1, 6 | 1, 6 | 1, 6 | |||||||||||
| 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs | 1, 6 | 1, 6 | 1, 6 | |||||||||||
| 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| BLU-27/B incendiary bombs | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||
| AIM-7M Sparrow missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
| AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
| AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
| AIM-120A missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Python 3 missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
| 610 gal drop tanks | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 750 gal drop tanks | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,900 kg | ||||||||||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
Usage in battles
The Baz Meshupar is essentially identical to the American F-15C MSIP II, with the only differences being that the Baz Meshupar has access to the indigenous Python 3 IR missile, and the Baz Meshupar having a different, but functionally identical radar.
It is recommended to equip the 8x AIM-120s, or 6x AIM-120s and 2x AIM-9Ms with the Sidewinders for closer engagements. Players are also advised to not carry a full internal fuel load of 42 minutes, instead relying on the drop tanks so that flight performance is not affected. Taking drop tanks instead of equipping the CFTs (conformal fuel tanks) is also better, as the CFTs are not able to be jettisoned and will hamper the flight performance more.
The AN/APG-63 radar has 3 main modes: the default SRC PD, TWS, and HMD. SRC PD (Search Pulse-Doppler) is useful for general combat scenarios when the player is in the close vicinity of targets. TWS (Track while Scan) is essential for long range combat, as it allows the player to fire multiple AIM-120s above ranges of 16km. HMD (Head Mounted Device) lets the player lock the radar where they are "looking", which allows the radar to lock onto targets at off-angles to be able to fire a missile faster.
TWS will allow the player to guide multiple AIM-120s using the plane's radar before the AIM-120s reach under 16km and switch to "pitbull" mode. After firing a missile, there will be a line with an open circle at the end indicating the missile the player fired. When the circle at the end of the line disappears, this means that the missile is within 16km of the target and has switched to pitbull mode, meaning that the player can turn away from the target/break radar lock. Keep in mind TWS is only useful most of the time for BVR engagements or when the enemy is farther than 16-20km away. Locking the target in the default SRC PD/HMD mode is much more precise/quick than letting TWS "find" and show the target most of the time.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Agile at low-medium speeds
- Good power to weight ratio, a trait shared by the F-15 family of jets
- Excellent air to air weaponry, with the ability to carry 8 AMRAAMs
- Ability to carry missiles under external fuel tanks
Cons:
- No access to rockets
- High fuel consumption, taking drop tanks is usually a must
- No access to modern guided munitions like AGMs or laser guided bombs
History
With its introduction into the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in the mid-1970s, the F-15 Baz very quickly became a key component in Israel's regional superiority - providing an umbrella that could not be challenged by any of Israel's belligerent neighbors. Nevertheless, by the 1990s the aircraft was already being threatened by the capabilities of newer Soviet/Russian models of the Su-27 and MiG-29. Though the Soviet Union was no longer around to supply such aircraft en-masse to Israel's remaining enemies (as it had done in previous decades), Israel's bitter lessons of technological parity during the 1973 Yom Kippur War led to the conclusion that the entire Baz fleet would have to be replaced in order to maintain a decisive technological edge. With close to a hundred Baz F-15s already in IAF service, this would be a complicated undertaking.
To make matters even more complicated, the 1990s were also a time of conflict between two separate issues in the air superiority fighter market. On the one hand, while the Americans had already begun funding Israel's defense to the tune of billions of dollars, this came with an exclusivity clause that would force Israel to purchase all of its fighters from the United States. Simultaneously, the United States was at this time heavily invested in development of the F-22 Raptor - which it intended to keep for itself in order to maintain its own technological edge. This left only one air superiority model on the table for Israel to buy: the F-15E Strike Eagle, a highly improved version of the F-15 that could double as a long-range precision bomber.
Fortunately for the IAF, the F-15E was perfectly suited for its purposes. Besides having had plenty of experience with previous F-15 models, the IAF also happened to be in need of a long-range precision bomber to contend with the emerging threat of ballistic missiles from Iraq and Iran. The only problem with the F-15E was that it was still in the process of being introduced into the US Air Force, and was even more expensive than previous F-15 models. This meant that the IAF would not be able to replace its entire existing F-15 Baz fleet within any reasonable timeframe. Relying solely on gradual F-15E purchases would leave Israel vulnerable for over a decade - a risk that it could not afford.
The decision was finally made to begin the purchase of F-15Es (which, after intense modification, would become the F-15I Ra'am) while continuing to wait for some newer, cheaper aircraft to be developed by the Americans. However, that alternative never materialized, and by 1995 the IAF had no choice but to create its own alternative: the Baz 2000 program. Building upon two decades of active combat experience with the F-15, and the emergence of a cutting-edge Israeli high-tech industrial sector, the Baz 2000 program would essentially upgrade existing F-15C/Ds into something closer to an F-15E. Additionally, equipment previously featured only on the F-16 Barak would be "married" into this new plane to give it capabilities not yet seen outside the F-16 platform.
This upgrade program resulted in the F-15 Baz Meshupar (lit. "Improved Baz"), more commonly known by the acronym BazMash. The first such aircraft was rolled out in late 1998, the same year that the first F-15I entered service.
The exact changes made to the BazMash are still classified, though several are plainly clear from photographs of the aircraft: it has larger conformal fuel tanks allowing for greater range than the original F-15C/D, and its avionics and cockpit have been completely redone. The BazMash features all-new Multi-Function Displays, contains avionics borrowed from the F-16 Barak (including DASH helmet integration), and is now capable of using JDAM GPS-guided bombs. It is also capable of carrying Israel's own beyond-visual-range interceptor missiles, the Python 5 and Derby. A radar upgrade has also been mentioned by unofficial sources, but has never been confirmed. It is unclear whether McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing St. Louis) had a hand in making such an upgrade possible, but it seems that every single Israeli military electronics company contributed at least one component to the new plane. Given the number of BazMash planes that were in service when the Baz 2000 program concluded, some sources have speculated that at least one of these aircraft is in fact an F-15A/B - first upgraded to the F-15C/D standard in the 1980s, and then to the new BazMash standard.
Despite all of these upgrades, the IAF stated in 2004 that it would still prefer replacing the BazMash with F-15Is - but additional F-15I purchases ceased around that same time, leaving the IAF with more BazMash planes than F-15Is to this day. In the mid-2010s, the IAF announced plans to upgrade the BazMash yet again, with the hope of keeping it in service until the year 2040 - for a total service period of 64 years. Even with the introduction of the F-35I Adir into IAF service in 2017, the BazMash in its current form remains Israel's primary air superiority fighter.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| McDonnell Aircraft Corporation | |
|---|---|
| Jet Fighters | F2H-2 · F3H-2 |
| F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II | |
| F-15A · F-15C MSIP II · F-15E | |
| Strike Aircraft | AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| Helicopters | AH-6M |
| Export/Licensed | |
| Aircraft | ◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F · ◄F-4F KWS LV · Phantom FG.1 · Phantom FGR.2 · F-4J(UK) Phantom II · F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · Kurnass · Kurnass 2000 |
| F-15J · F-15J(M) · Baz · Baz Meshupar · F-15I Ra’am | |
| ▄AV-8B Plus | |
| Helicopters | Lahatut |
| The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation merged with Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Later it was merged with The Boeing Company in 1997. | |
| See Also | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
| Israel jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Kfir Canard · Kfir C.2 · Kfir C.7 · Nesher | |
| Britain | |
| Meteor | Meteor NF.13 · Meteor F.8 |
| France | |
| Vautour | Vautour IIA · Vautour IIN |
| Super Mystere | Sambad · Sa'ar |
| Mirage III | Shahak |
| Other | M.D.450B Ouragan · Mystere IVA |
| USA | |
| F-84 | F-84F |
| A-4 | A-4H · A-4E Early (M) · A-4E · Ayit |
| F-4 | Kurnass · Kurnass 2000 |
| F-15 | Baz · Baz Meshupar · F-15I Ra’am |
| F-16 | Netz · F-16C Barak II · F-16D Barak II |
