Operational performance, payload, and affordability are key
reasons customers purchase defense aircraft. Learn more about
customer missions and how suppliers can engage with the
program.
Boeing’s Robert Novotny, executive director of Fighters Business Development within the Air Dominance Division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is passionate about the Boeing F-15E, also known as the Eagle II.
He leads Boeing’s customer outreach team for its global F-15 portfolio and has flown the aircraft for almost 30 years in the U.S. Air Force. Novotny said he has 2,500 hours in the F-15C/D aircraft and another 200 hours in the F-15E platforms. Novotny said, “The F-15 has served our nation and several other allied nations for decades, with an unmatched air combat ratio of over 104 aerial victories to zero losses.”
McDonnell Douglas first manufactured the aircraft 50-plus years ago (Luke Air Force Base in Arizona took delivery in 1974), and sold it to Boeing in 1997. Over the years, the aircraft models have evolved from the A, B, C, D, E, and now the EX. Boeing notes each model’s variants within customer groups in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel, Singapore, Korea, and Japan.
The F-15EX, the newest aircraft variant, has improved electronics, warfare system, and payload capacity. Boeing states, “The F-15EX also includes structural improvements for extended life of airframe, digital flight controls for improved aircrew handling and safety, and we are investing in a path towards open mission systems architecture. Additionally, with MUM-T capabilities, the F-15EX can command the battlespace with an even greater strength than ever.”
Testing occurs at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, and they participate in larger force exercises (LFEs). Boeing is pleased with the initial testing and feels they are ahead of the game. They seek zero deficiencies in testing, but are prepared to note, evaluate, and upgrade systems post-testing.
Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Maj. Nicholas Dona, 40 FLTS, said they have six F-15EX aircraft with jet deliveries to the Combat Air Force in progress. They declared the aircraft IOC for initial operating capability on July 10, 2024. The AFB considered why they flew it, mission usage, and key technology. They also discussed service hours and overall service on the AFB.
Eglin AFB, Maj. Brett Hughes, 84th Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES)/Operational Combined Test Program Combined Test Force (OFP CTF), stated that their experienced pilots have gone through “conversion training” on the F-15EX. “Conversion training involves differences-focused academics, simulator training, and flying with an instructor pilot in the rear cockpit before qualification. The many commonalities between the F-15EX and the legacy F-15A-E series allows for seamless training.”
Maj. Hughes added that the aircraft continues to serve in developmental and operational tests for missions, which is “rapidly clearing out an expanded F-15EX operational envelope for current and future platform and weapon integration. It excels in the multi-role and multi-domain proving grounds realized with the rapid integration in the 2021 Northern Edge large force test event and training exercise only weeks after arriving off the factory line.”
The F-15-EX mission capability includes conducting air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Novotny said, “The EX is superior in both missions, and I like to call it a heavy-weight multi-role fighter.”
Boeing said the best missions for the aircraft are multi-faceted:
- Offensive counterair (OCA) penetrating strikes
- Suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD)
- Destruction of enemy air defenses (DEAD)
- Close air support (CAS)
- Combat search and rescue (CSAR)
- Counter-cruise missile defense (CMD), and more.
Maj. Dona said their missions with the aircraft include “any mission traditionally performed by the F-15C or F-15E, including air-to-air, air-to-ground, and close air support mission sets. The F-15EX is currently being tested to meet emerging mission sets combining new technology and integrated weapons to bring critical combat capability to the warfighter.”
Maj. Megan Scheele, 40 FLTS, also stationed at Eglin AFB, said the F-15EX’s greatest strengths are, “… its exceptional firepower and versatility. It boasts the largest weapons capacity of any U.S. fighter, carrying 12 missiles, 50 percent more than previous F-15 variants. In addition to being an air-to-air powerhouse, the F-15EX can carry a wide complement of long-range standoff weapons while enabling an impressive long-range strike capability.”
She added that she is impressed with the new technology in the aircraft, including the “more powerful General Electric F110-GE-129 engines, complete digital flight control system, brand new Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) defensive suite and powerful APG-82 radar.”
Boeing said that they are working on “… Manned and Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) with Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), and because of its range, payload, and speed attributes, we expect the EX to lead the way on Long Range Kill Chain (LRKC) missions as well. Which means ‘holding targets in enemy territory at risk from great distances.'”
The aircraft flies with a two-seat configuration, which allows for a mission manager. They added that the two-seat configuration ” … primarily enhances situational awareness and battlefield command capabilities while enabling seamless cooperation with collaborative combat aircraft/unmanned platforms.”
Now, they’ve created a one-pilot scenario because it is easier for customers to get to missions sooner. They added, “However, we mechanized the aircraft to fly with just one pilot so our Air National Guard teammates could get to work immediately with the aircraft as the USAF continued to evaluate their manning and mission sets.”
The aircraft’s production is at 1.5 per month now but will increase to two per month soon. Modernization is critical to the program, and staying on trend through an open mission system will allow new software rollouts faster. “This will allow us to iterate software quickly to meet the customer’s needs and adapt to the rapidly changing software environment,” Novotny added.
Beyond software and dashboard improvements, Boeing is looking at improving payload — the ability to transport weapons faster to the target areas. Boeing said they want to mitigate exposure on the battlefield while decreasing operational costs.
Although the aircraft is impressive, there is competition, such as:
- F-35
- Eurofighter Typhoon
- Dassault Rafale
- KAI KF-21
Boeing noted, however, that competing aircraft don’t have the “proven track record of the F-15” and would need “major infrastructure investments.”
Other improvements and new capabilities to the F-15EX:
- a digital fly-by-wire flight control system
- a glass cockpit based on a large customizable screen
Safety is mission critical as well, and recent safety improvements focus on aircrew safety. “The Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) is a new electronic warfare system that significantly increases the survivability of the aircraft in contested airspace.”
Existing Boeing suppliers can participate in the program through the Supplier Database: https://www.boeingsuppliers.com/#become-a-boeing-supplier.
It is important to note that the economic impact of the F-15EX includes 570 suppliers in 41 states, 29,000-plus direct and indirect jobs, and an estimated economic impact of $1.4 billion.
Some customer operations cited by the program include:
- The Portland Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing is replacing its F-15 C/D model Eagles with the F-15EX Eagle II
- Mountain Home Air Force Base (MHAFB) in Idaho is home to the F-15E Strike Eagle and the F-15SG.
- The 366th Fighter Wing at MHAFB provides combat airpower and support for worldwide operations.
- F-15E Strike Eagle is the primary aircraft at MHAFB, with over 50 in the Wing’s inventory.
- The F-15SG, The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has a detachment of F-15SG aircraft stationed at MHAFB.
Novotny, with his passion for the F-15EX aircraft, reflected on its popularity, noting that in the movie Top Gun Maverick, the primary aircraft showcased was the F/A-18 Super Hornet. The Hornet and the F-15 programs are combined and he remarked that had the F-15EX (Eagle) had been ready in time for the movie, “Maverick would have preferred the Eagle!”
