Saudi F-15SA delivery imminent

Heads up RAF Lakenheath! Another four Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Boeing F-15SA Saudi Advanced fighters are expected to cross the Atlantic Ocean on the way to Saudi Arabia. The aircraft will depart St. Louis Lambert International Airport (MO) with a night stop at RAF Lakenheath (UK). The exact date is not known yet and depends on weather conditions as well. 

The following six aircraft have not been delivered yet: 12-1001, 12-1002, 12-1003, 12-1009, 12-1048 and 12-1083. 

Of these six, serial 12-1009 was seen with external tanks for a so called fuel carriage test flight last week at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (MO). The first three aircraft (12-1001, 12-1002 and 12-1003) are known to have been extensively involved in the test and certification programme at Palmdale (CA), and, as such, one or two may stay in the United States for further testing. If this is correct, this upcoming delivery flight could be the last four that are to be delivered.

Interestingly, the previous four F-15SA that staged through RAF Lakenheath on 11 August 2020, serials 12-1033, 12-1034, 12-1035 and 12-1084 (call sign Retro71/74) have joined the Fighter Weapons School (FWS) at Dhahran Air Base. Although they have been allocated serials 9241, 9242, 9243 and 9244 it is not sure if these serials are applied. For the  FWS they carry the codes WS01, WS02, WS03 and WS04.

Unfortunately we are not aware yet of the allocation of the serial tie-ups, but these could be sequential. The four that are due this week are also destined to join the FWS at Dhahran Air Base.

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Photo: Alex Farwell