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The F-15EX Eagle II Serves As The United States Air Force’s Response To The Challenges Posed By Aging Fighter Aircraft And The Evolving Demands Of Modern Warfare In The Year 2021
An F-15EX Eagle II from the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flies in formation during an aerial refueling operation above the skies of Northern California, May 14. The Eagle II participated in the Northern Edge 21 exercise in Alaska earlier in May. (Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)
An F-15EX Eagle II from the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flies in formation during an aerial refueling operation above the skies of Northern California, May 14. The Eagle II participated in the Northern Edge 21 exercise in Alaska earlier in May. (Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)
The U.S. Air Force’s acquisition of the new F-15EX Eagle II from Boeing marks a significant step in rejuvenating its fighter fleet to confront modern warfare challenges.
The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, is flanked by an F-15E and F-15C in the distance March 11 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft.
On December 30, the Air Force announced the arrival of the third and fourth airframes of the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, with an additional six required before July to maintain the program schedule. The intention to introduce these new fighters into the fleet underscores the pressing need to phase out the severely aged F-15Cs, some of which have been in service since 1979 and now average 38 years old, struggling with structural fatigue and obsolescence.
The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)
While the first F-15EX was delivered to Eglin in 2021, the recent arrivals marked a significant milestone for the program. These aircraft, known as EX3 and EX4, are destined for rigorous developmental and operational testing, employing data from similar aircraft sold under Foreign Military Sales to expedite this phase. The new jets boast a forward fuselage redesigned for the U.S. Air Force, cockpit pressure monitors, and a high-frequency antenna for satellite communications.
F-15C fighter jets from the 44th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, flys in formation with F-15SA Royal Saudi Air Force jets from 6th Squadron, King Khalid Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during an integrated sortie flight in the Kingdom of Saudi Araibia, June 25, 2020. The integrated sorties allows U.S. and RSAF pilots to famiiliaraize with communications and mission planning procedures. It also allows them to maintain readiness for longer mission capabilities
Lt. Col. Christopher Wee, the Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force commander, emphasized that the F-15EX “is operationally effective, suitable, and survivable,” and has met every challenge in the testing phase, hinting at the near readiness of the aircraft for warfighter deployment.
The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
However, these advancements do not come without fiscal concerns. The Pentagon reported an escalated flyaway cost of $94 million per fighter, assuming a purchase of 104 aircraft—a stark increase from the initial estimate of $80 million per unit.
Despite the price tag, the F-15EX remains an appealing option for the Air Force, not least because of its significant payload capacity and versatility. The twin-engine fighter can carry a wider range of weapons compared to its fifth-generation counterparts, including upcoming hypersonic missiles, and is capable of high-speed, long-range missions. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, head of U.S. Pacific Air Forces, highlighted the F-15EX’s ability to fill the gap in bombing capacity.
Lt. Col. Richard Turner, Commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, and Lt. Col. Jacob Lindaman, Commander, 85th Test & Evaluation Squadron, deliver the first F-15EX to its new home station, Eglin AFB, Florida, 11 March, 2021. The 40th FLTS will take possition of EX1 and the 85th TES will own EX2 upon its arrival, coming soon. Squadron aircrews and testers will work together to complete the combined developmental and operational testing simultaneously. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John McRell)
In summary, the F-15EX Eagle II, while a legacy platform at heart, is being repositioned as a modern fighter with advanced avionics and electronic warfare capabilities to meet the demands of contemporary air combat.
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The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, sits by an F-15E Strike Eagle March 11 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The newly-arrived aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Karissa Rodriguez)Master Sgt. Tristan McIntire, 40th Flight Test Squadron, marshals the F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, to a stop at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The newly-arrived aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, rolls by an F-15C March 11 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The newly-arrived aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)Master Sgt. Tristan McIntire, 40th Flight Test Squadron, marshals the F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, upon arrival to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)Lt. Col. Richard “Tac” Turner, Commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, and Lt. Col. Jacob “Duke” Lindaman, Commander, 85th Test & Evaluation Squadron, deliver the first F-15EX to its new home station, Eglin AFB, Florida, 11 March, 2021. The 40th FLTS will take possition of EX1 and the 85th TES will own EX2 upon its arrival, coming soon. Squadron aircrews and testers will work together to complete the combined developmental and operational testing simultaneously. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Raven)Lt. Col. Richard “Tac” Turner, Commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, and Lt. Col. Jacob “Duke” Lindaman, Commander, 85th Test & Evaluation Squadron, deliver the first F-15EX to its new home station, Eglin AFB, Florida, 11 March, 2021. The 40th FLTS will take possition of EX1 and the 85th TES will own EX2 upon its arrival, coming soon. Squadron aircrews and testers will work together to complete the combined developmental and operational testing simultaneously. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. John Raven)An F-15EX Eagle II assigned to the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing, out of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., conducts aerial refueling operations above Northern California, May 14, 2021. The aircraft participated in exercise Northern Edge 21 in Alaska earlier this May. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)
