My first tour as an FC was at Neatishead in 1975. One of the sorties I controlled was providing flight safety cover for a pair of F-15As who were intercepting low level targets under the control of an E-3A. All three in the UK on a sales demo for the RAF, and within months of the first USAF Sqn forming.
The period overlapped precisely with the time the FGR-2s were being transferred to 11 Gp in the AD rile (Oct 74 to late 76).
If the Jag hadn’t been converted into a bomber rather than a trainer, or had been just a couple of years later, the RAF might well have replaced the single seat Lightning with the single seat F-15A.
The F-18 first flight wasn’t until 1978, and it didn’t enter operational service till 1983. Way to late for the RAF.