During the development phase of the Eagle, the US Navy was instructed in July of 1971 to take a look at a possible navalized version of the Eagle, provisionally designated F-15N. At that time, the Navy was perfectly happy with its Grumman F-14A Tomcat, which was then in its flight test phase, and was less than enthusiastic about a "Sea Eagle".
The navalized F-15N was estimated to weigh some 2300 pounds more than the USAF F-15A. The Navy was unhappy about the fact that the F-15N aircraft would be unable to carry or launch the AIM-54A Phoenix long-range missile. Inclusion of this missile would have increased the weight even further. Consequently, the F-15N proceeded no further than the concept stage.
The US Senate briefly revived the carrier-based Eagle idea in March of 1973. However, the Navy decided instead to go with a mix of F-14 Tomcats and F/A-18 Hornets, and the F-15N was never ordered.
Sources:
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McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920, Volume II, Rene J.
Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1990.
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Combat Aircraft F-15, Michael J. Gething and Paul Crickmore,
Crescent Books, 1992.
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The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers,
Orion, 1987.
- F-15 Eagle, Robert F. Dorr, World Airpower Journal, Volume 9, Summer 1992.
