The engines are outfitted with afterburner nozzles, which can provide an extra kick of thrust when necessary. The afterburner simply injects fuel into the hot jet exhaust stream. It ignites, adding to the hot gases shooting out the back of the engine (see this Question of the Day for details on afterburners). At full force, the plane can get up to more than Mach 2.5 (approximately 1,854 mph / 2,984 kph).
The high engine power does come at a price -- poor fuel economy. Of course, the F-15 was designed with this limitation in mind. In order to extend its un-refueled range, it was built with large internal fuel tanks in the fuselage (the main body) and in the wings. It can also carry three external tanks, as well as a pair of aerodynamic form-fitting tanks under the wings that generate some lift of their own. Fully fueled, the F-15C can fly 3,450 miles (5,550 km), and the F-15E can fly 2,400 miles (3,860 km).
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