The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II is an American

multirole fighter A multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) is a combat aircraft intended to perform different roles in combat. These roles can include air to air combat, air support, aerial bombing, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and suppression of air defens ...

derived from the

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather Multirole combat aircraft, multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Intended for the Dual-Role Fighter (DRF) program (initially cal ...

. The aircraft resulted from U.S.

Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, ...

(DoD) studies in 2018 to recapitalize the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

's (USAF) tactical aviation fleet that was aging due to curtailed modernization, particularly the truncated

F-22 The Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor is an American twin-engine, jet-powered, all-weather, supersonic stealth fighter aircraft. As a product of the United States Air Force's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was desi ...

production, from post-

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

budget cuts. The F-15EX is a variant of the F-15 Advanced Eagle, a further development of the F-15E design initially intended for export and incorporates improved internal structure, flight control system, and avionics. The aircraft is manufactured by

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

's St. Louis division (formerly

McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas Corporation was a major American Aerospace manufacturer, aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own ...

). The Advanced Eagle began with the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) which first flew in 2013, followed by the F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) in 2020. The F-15EX had its maiden flight in 2021 and took advantage of the active export production line to reduce costs and expedite deliveries for the USAF; it entered operational service in July 2024. The F-15EX is expected to replace the remaining F-15C/D in the U.S. Air Force and

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia (United States), militia of each U.S. ...

for performing homeland and air defense missions and also serves as an affordable platform for employing large stand-off weapons to augment the frontline F-22 and F-35. The Advanced Eagle in this configuration represents the current baseline in F-15 production.

Development

In the 2010s, the

(USAF) was facing an incoming shortfall of its fighter fleet size in the 2020s due to deferred and downscaled modernization plans from budget cuts following the end of the

in 1991, and the focus on asymmetric

counterinsurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN, or NATO spelling counter-insurgency) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the ac ...

warfare after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. The USAF's procurement requirement of 381 production

s to replace its fleet of air superiority F-15A to D fighters was curtailed to just 187 in 2009. In order to retain adequate numbers of air superiority fighters, the service planned to extend the service of 179 F-15C/Ds to the 2030s, well beyond its originally planned retirement date. Also referred to as ''F-15 2040C'' or "Golden Eagle", these jets would have upgraded avionics, including

active electronically scanned array An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the a ...

(AESA) radar,

infrared search and track An Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system (sometimes known as infrared sighting and tracking) is a method for detecting and tracking objects which give off infrared radiation, such as the infrared signatures of jet aircraft and helicopters.Mahu ...

(IRST), and a new electronic warfare suite called the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS). Some of these upgrades would be shared with the F-15E fleet, such as EPAWSS whose development contract was awarded in 2015 to Boeing and

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British Multinational corporation, multinational Aerospace industry, aerospace, military technology, military and information security company, based in London. It is the largest manufacturer in Britain as of 2017. It is ...

. However, by the mid-2010s, the F-15C/D fleet was aging beyond the point of economic sustainability and would not be serviceable by the 2030s due to structural fatigue, while the

F-35 The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both air superiority and strike missions, it also has electronic warf ...

was facing delays, resulting in a requirement to recapitalize the fighter shortfall as legacy F-15s retire by the 2026. Restarting F-22 production was considered cost prohibitive due to the high non-recurring startup costs of rebuilding the production line and sourcing replacement parts vendors. Meanwhile,

had been developing upgrades for the F-15E for export customers and a substantial update to the air vehicle design resulted in the ''F-15 Advanced Eagle''; the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) was the initial variant which first flew in 20 February 2013, followed by the F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) ordered in 2017. In 2018, following a series of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (OSD CAPE) studies indicating that a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters would allow the USAF to more affordably recapitalize its fighter fleet, the USAF and Boeing began discussing the ''F-15X'' or ''Advanced F-15'', a proposed single-seat variant based on the F-15QA to replace USAF F-15C/Ds. Eventually, both single- and two-seat variants were proposed, called F-15CX and F-15EX respectively, with identical capabilities; the USAF opted for only the EX to reduce costs since only two-seat F-15 models remained in production, and in 2019, eight aircraft were included in the FY 2020 budget request. This would enable the use of the existing F-15 production line with minimal non-recurring startup costs to quickly bring additional fighters into service and also was a way to support Boeing's St. Louis division in order to maintain diversity in the U.S. fighter industrial base. The F-15EX improvements included the AESA radar, IRST, and EPAWSS from the existing F-15 upgrade programs while combining the benefits of the F-15QA such as the revised structure with a service life of 20,000 hours, new cockpit and flight controls, and the proposed AMBER (Advanced Missile and Bomb Ejector Rack) system to enable the carriage of up to 22

air-to-air missiles An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft (including unmanned aircraft such as cruise missiles). AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid-fuel roc ...

Although it is not expected to be as survivable against the latest air defenses as the fifth-generation F-22 and F-35, the F-15EX can supplement the former in air superiority missions by performing homeland and airbase defense, enforcing

no-fly zone A no-fly zone, also known as a no-flight zone (NFZ), or air exclusion zone (AEZ), is a territory or area established by a military power over which certain aircraft are not permitted to fly. Such zones are usually set up in an enemy power's terri ...

s against limited air defenses, and deploying outsized

standoff weapon Standoff weapons (or stand-off weapons) are missiles or bombs which may be launched from a distance sufficient to allow attacking personnel to evade the effect of the weapon or defensive fire from the target area. Typically, they are used against ...

s in support of stealth fighters at the frontline. In July 2020, the

U.S. Defense Department The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD, or DOD) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government charged with coordinating and supervising the six U.S. armed services: the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, t ...

ordered eight F-15EXs over three years for $1.2 billion. The F-15EX made its maiden flight on 2 February 2021. On 7 April 2021, its official name ''Eagle II'' was announced. The FY2021 defense appropriations bill funded F-15EX procurement at $1.23 billion for 12 aircraft, bringing total orders to 20 aircraft with 144 total planned. By May 2022, the USAF reduced its orders to 80. The first operational F-15EXs are not to receive conformal fuel tanks. The Air Force's proposed budget for fiscal 2024 includes funds to buy 24 more F-15EXs, which would bring the planned fleet up to 104 aircraft.

Design

Overview

The F-15EX is a variant of the F-15 Advanced Eagle family of aircraft, a further development of the

F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Intended for the Dual-Role Fighter (DRF) program (initially called Enhanced Tactical Fi ...

design beginning with the F-15SA for the

Royal Saudi Air Force The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF; ) is the military aviation, aviation branch of the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian Armed Forces. The Royal Saudi Air Force currently has wings, squadrons, and a special forces unit dedicated to comba ...

. The Advanced Eagle consolidated several upgrades to the F-15E developed for export customers, including full integration of the

General Electric F110-GE-129 The General Electric F110 is an Afterburner, afterburning turbofan jet engine produced by GE Aerospace (formerly GE Aviation). It was derived from the General Electric F101 as an alternative engine to the Pratt & Whitney F100 for powering tactic ...

and the AN/ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS) that replaced the legacy TEWS, and introduced a revised wing structure for increased service life, an enhanced cockpit originally proposed for the

F-15SE Silent Eagle The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E Strike Eagle is an American all-weather multirole strike fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. Intended for the Dual-Role Fighter (DRF) program (initially called Enhanced Tactical Figh ...

and digital

fly-by-wire Fly-by-wire (FBW) is a system that replaces the conventional aircraft flight control system#Hydro-mechanical, manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic sig ...

control system A control system manages, commands, directs, or regulates the behavior of other devices or systems using control loops. It can range from a single home heating controller using a thermostat controlling a domestic boiler to large industrial ...

that replaced the original hybrid electronic/mechanical system and enables the activation of two additional wing pylons; the fly-by-wire eliminated

flutter Flutter may refer to: Technology * Aeroelastic flutter, a rapid self-feeding motion, potentially destructive, that is excited by aerodynamic forces in aircraft and bridges * Flutter (American company), a gesture recognition technology company acqu ...

modes causing stability issues that resulted in the two outboard wing pylons being deactivated in earlier F-15 variants. Starting from the F-15QA for the

Qatari Emiri Air Force The Qatar Emiri Air Force () (QEAF) is the air arm of the armed forces of the state of Qatar. It was established in 1974 as a small aerial support wing, although in modern times it has evolved into a potent, well equipped force. The QEAF is head ...

, the Advanced Eagle introduced a further revised wing structure that increased service life to 20,000 hours, the new Advanced Display Core Processor II (ADCP II) mission computer, and a new cockpit with a large area display (LAD) each for the pilot and

weapon systems officer A Weapon Systems Officer (WSO), nicknamed "Wizzo", is an air flight officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of a military aircraft. Historically, aircrew duties in military aircraft were highly specialised and rigi ...

(WSO). Based on the F-15QA, the F-15EX incorporates the

Raytheon Raytheon is a business unit of RTX Corporation and is a major U.S. defense contractor and industrial corporation with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. Founded in 1922, it merged in 2020 with Unite ...

AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA radar, BAE Systems AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS, and the

Lockheed Martin The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...

Legion Pod with AN/ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 sensor; in contrast to some other Advanced Eagle variants, the USAF F-15EX does not have the BAE Systems AN/AAR-57 Common

Missile Warning System A missile approach warning system (MAW) is part of the avionics package on some military aircraft. A sensor detects attacking missiles. Its automatic warning cues the pilot to make a defensive maneuver and deploy the available countermeasures to ...

(CMWS), although the blisters for these sensors were retained in order to minimize production changes and maintain the same aerodynamic profile for the fly-by-wire system. The F-15EX's large payload capacity enables a high level of flexibility. In a typical air superiority or escort configuration, the Advanced Eagle can carry twelve air-to-air missiles, either the

AIM-120 AMRAAM The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) ( ) is an American Beyond-visual-range missile, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It uses active transmit-receive radar guidance ...

AIM-9 Sidewinder The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range air-to-air missile. Entering service with the United States Navy in 1956 and the Air Force in 1964, the AIM-9 is one of the oldest, cheapest, and most successful air-to-air missiles. Its latest variants rema ...

short-range missiles; the

AGM-88 HARM The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) is a tactical, air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments ...

can also be carried. Using proposed expanded racks and CFT weapons stations, it can potentially carry sixteen AIM-120; four AIM-9; and two AGM-88 HARMs, although this has not been tested or funded. For precision strike, it can carry sixteen

GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb The GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) is a precision-guided glide bomb that is intended to allow aircraft to carry a greater number of smaller, more accurate bombs. Most US Air Force aircraft will be able to carry (using the BRU-61/A rack) a ...

s; four AMRAAMs; one 2,000 lb

Joint Direct Attack Munition The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs", into all-weather precision-guided munitions (PGMs). JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a G ...

; two HARMs; and two

fuel drop tank In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...

s. The F-15EX can carry multiple large standoff munitions such as the

AGM-158 JASSM The AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (AGM-158 JASSM) is a low detection standoff air-launched cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the United States Armed Forces. It is a large, stealthy long-range weapon with a armor ...

, or outsized munitions like the

AGM-183 ARRW The AGM-183 ARRW ("Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon") is a hypersonic air-to-ground ballistic missile planned for use by the United States Air Force. Developed by Lockheed Martin, the boost-glide vehicle is propelled to a maximum speed of mor ...

to bring additional firepower behind the frontline F-22 and F-35. While the Advanced Eagle's strengthened structure makes it heavier than earlier F-15 variants, the digital fly-by-wire control system and the increased dynamic thrust envelope of the F110-129 engines provide it with substantially improved maneuverability and handling characteristics over legacy F-15s and enables the pilot to maneuver aggressively with no

angle-of-attack In fluid dynamics, angle of attack (AOA, α, or \alpha) is the angle between a reference line on a body (often the chord line of an airfoil) and the vector representing the relative motion between the body and the fluid through which it is mo ...

limits. The fly-by-wire also makes the aircraft much more departure-resistant and tolerant of asymmetric loads.

Avionics

While not as survivable as the stealthy F-22 or F-35, the F-15EX nevertheless incorporates advanced integrated avionics and protective countermeasures systems to improve the pilot's situational awareness and increase survivability. The F-15EX's APG-82(V)1 radar, initially designated APG-63(V)4, combines the AESA antenna of the APG-63(V)3 with the processor of the APG-79(V) found on the

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are a series of American supersonic twinjet, twin-engine, Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft derived from the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Ho ...

as well as a new cooling system and Radio Frequency Tunable Filters (RFTF) to enable simultaneous radar and electronic warfare functions while integrated with the AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS electronic warfare suite. Leveraging the work and experience from AN/ALQ-239 DEWS, the EPAWSS is a digital system that provides all-aspect

radar warning receiver Radar warning receiver (RWR) systems detect the radio emissions of radar systems. Their primary purpose is to issue a warning when a radar signal that might be a threat is detected, like a fighter aircraft's fire control radar. The warning can ...

function and threat geolocation; it is also integrated with the

AN/ALE-47 The AN/ALE-47 Airborne Countermeasures Dispenser System is used to protect military aircraft from incoming radar and infrared homing missiles. It works by dispensing flares or chaff. It is used on a variety of U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Army airc ...

chaff/flare countermeasures dispenser system. Both the pilot and WSO can use the Digital

Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System A helmet-mounted display (HMD) is a headworn device that uses displays and optics to project imagery and/or symbology to the eyes. It provides visual information to the user where head protection is required – most notably in military aircr ...

(D-JHMCS) to cue weapons at high angles off boresight. The Legion Pod's ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 sensor provides the F-15EX with a passive means of threat detection, especially against low-observable threats in the radio-frequency spectrum; the F-15SA and F-15QA mounts the AN/AAS-42 "Tiger Eyes", the precursor to the IRST21 sensor, on the targeting pod pylon. While the aircraft can be operated by a single pilot for basic air superiority missions, the back seat is fully missionized to support a WSO for complex missions and can potentially support the manned-unmanned teaming coordination with uncrewed

collaborative combat aircraft Collaboration (from Latin ''com-'' "with" + ''laborare'' "to labor", "to work") is the process of two or more people, entities or organizations working together to complete a task or achieve a goal. Collaboration is similar to cooperation. The f ...

. Although employed primarily as an air superiority fighter to replace the F-15C/D and complement the F-22, the F-15EX can employ the LANTIRN and Sniper XR pods like its F-15E precursor to perform ground attack. The avionics has an open systems architecture to facilitate potential future upgrades.

Operational history

United States

The first F-15EX was delivered in March 2021 and flown to

Eglin Air Force Base Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso, Florida, Valparaiso in Okaloosa County, Florida, Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test ...

, Florida. A fleet of six aircraft formed the test force to support development and operational flight testing. The first two aircraft conducted weapons separation tests and participated in Northern Edge and Combat Hammer in May 2021 and August 2023 respectively. The third aircraft was equipped with additional communications equipment, a redesigned forward fuselage specifically for USAF requirements, and was the first equipped with EPAWSS. The F-15EX test program is able to save time and money because many systems such as the fly-by-wire and cockpit displays were already tested on the F-15SA and F-15QA with export customer funding by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The F-15EX's Integrated Test & Evaluation Phase 1, which consisted of weapons trials, integration with fifth-generation fighters, and mission systems testing, was completed in August 2023; Phase 2 was cancelled due to planned aircraft upgrades of later lots and a follow-on operational test & evaluation (FOT&E) is planned. 210311-F-AY943-006

In August 2020, the USAF announced plans to replace F-15Cs of

units in Florida and Oregon with F-15EXs. On 18 April 2023, the USAF announced that the

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and Louisiana Air National Guards would replace their F-15C/D fleets with the F-15EX. On 25 May 2023, it was announced that the

173rd Fighter Wing The 173rd Fighter Wing (173 FW) is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard, stationed at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Klamath Falls, Oregon. The 173d Fighter Wing is responsible for training combat pilots and support personnel on the M ...

at Kingsley Field ANGB, Oregon, would become a Formal Training Unit (FTU) for the F-35A rather than the F-15EX. Basic F-15 training, for both the F-15E and F-15EX, will instead take place at

Seymour Johnson AFB Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. The base is named for U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a test pilot from Goldsboro who died in an F4F Wildcat crash near Norbeck, Mary ...

, North Carolina, from 2026 onwards. On 5 June 2024, Oregon's

142nd Wing The 142nd Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. When activated for federal service, the wing falls under control of Air Combat Command. The 123rd ...

received its first F-15EX with the fighter landing at Portland Air National Guard Base, while the second arrived a month later. Initial operational capability was declared on 10 July 2024.

Israel

The

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...

ordered 25 F-15IA fighters based on the F-15EX and plans to upgrade 25 F-15Is to the F-15IA standard as of 2023. In 2024, the number of new-built F-15IAs was increased to 50.

Saudi Arabia

In addition to the 84 F-15SA purchased in 2011, Boeing discussed the sale of 54 F-15EXs to Saudi Arabia during the 2024 World Defense Show in Riyadh."Saudi Arabia – F-15SA Aircraft"
. US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, 20 October 2010. If the deal goes ahead, Saudi Arabia will look to upgrade their fleet of F-15SAs to the same standard as the EX.

Potential operators

Egypt

A U.S. agreement to sell F-15 Advanced Eagles to Egypt for the

Egyptian Air Force The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) () is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all military aircraft, including those used in support of the Egyptian Army, Egyptian Navy ...

was announced in March 2022. A contract needs to be finalized after price and delivery date are determined.

Indonesia

In February 2022, the

U.S. State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs ...

approved the sale of up to 36 F-15IDs and related equipment to Indonesia. As of 21 November 2022, Indonesia's planned purchase of F-15s is in advanced stages and awaiting final sign-off from the government, as stated by the Indonesian Minister of Defense. Speaking after meeting his U.S. counterpart

Lloyd Austin Lloyd James Austin III (born August 8, 1953) is a retired United States Army four-star General (United States), general who served as the 28th United States Secretary of Defense, United States secretary of defense from 2021 to 2025. Before ...

in Jakarta,

Prabowo Subianto Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo (born 17 October 1951) is an Indonesian politician, businessman, and former four-star Indonesian Army, army general who is serving as the eighth and current president of Indonesia since 2024. He was previously t ...

said that Boeing had agreed to the financial offer proposed and he is confident the package is affordable. In June 2023 during a Ministry of Defense press conference it was stated that the contract for the F-15 aircraft is still in the discussion stage with the U.S. government. On 21 August 2023, Boeing and the

Indonesian government The term Government of the Republic of Indonesia (, GOI, sometimes also referred to as Government of Indonesia or the Central Government () especially in laws) can have a number of different meanings. At its widest, it can refer collectively ...

signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the purchase of 24 F-15EX fighters.

Poland

At the Polish

International Defence Industry Exhibition Międzynarodowy Salon Przemysłu Obronnego (International Defence Industry Exhibition) is the largest trade fair event dedicated to military equipment in Central and Eastern Europe and one of the largest in the world. Established in 1993, it i ...

(MSPO) in September 2023, Boeing pitched the F-15EX to Poland. However, there were no specifics on price or delivery.

Thailand

The

Royal Thai Air Force The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) (; ) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the ...

is seeking multirole fighters to replace the F-16A/Bs it has in service. On 31 December 2021, the RTAF Commander-in-chief announced that the Air Force proposes to buy 8 to 12

F-35 Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic Stealth aircraft, stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both Air superiority fighter, air superiority and att ...

s in 2023. On 12 January 2022, the council of ministers approved the first batch of four F-35As. On 22 May 2023, a Royal Thai Air Force source stated that the United States Department of Defense implied it will turn down Thailand's bid to buy F-35As, and instead offer F-16 Block 70 and F-15EX Eagle II fighters. In August 2024, the Royal Thai Air Force nominated the Gripen E/F to replace the service's aging F-16A/Bs.

Variants

; : The F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) is the initial Advanced Eagle variant for

and the baseline from which the F-15EX would be developed from. The F-15SA has the older AN/APG-63(V)3 radar, AN/ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS), AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), and AN/AAS-42 "Tiger Eyes" IRST mounted on the targeting pod pylon.Bruno, Michael
"U.S. to Sell AESA-Equipped F-15s to Saudi Arabia."
''Aviation Week'', 20 October 2010. ;F-15QA "Ababil" : The F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) is the direct predecessor of the F-15EX, further development of the Advanced Eagle for

with the introduction of the improved cockpit with large area display (LAD) and ADCP II mission computer. The F-15QA has AN/APG-82(V)1 radar, AN/ALQ-239 DEWS, AN/AAR-57 CMWS, and AN/AAS-42 IRST. In June 2017, Qatar signed a deal to buy 36 F-15QAs for US$12 billion (~$ in ) which included weapons, support, equipment, and training, with up to 72 approved by the U.S. State Department. On 22 June 2021, Boeing announced that it will integrate an

Elbit Systems Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based international military technology company and defense contractor. Founded in 1966 by Elron, Elbit Systems is the primary provider of the Israeli military's land-based equipment and unmanned aerial v ...

anti-jamming systems into the F-15QA, allowing it to fly into heavy electromagnetic interference environment uninterrupted. ;F-15EX : Two-seat variant for the U.S. Air Force. The F-15EX has AN/APG-82(V)1, AN/ALQ-250 EPAWSS, Legion Pod with AN/ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 sensor, but no AN/AAR-57 CMWS. ;F-15IA :The F-15IA (Israel Advanced) is a variant for the

based on the F-15EX.

Proposed variants

;F-15CX : Proposed single-seat variant for the U.S. Air Force with equivalent capability as the F-15EX. Not procured due to single-seat Eagles no longer being produced. ;F-15GA : Boeing offered 90 F-15GA (German Advanced) fighters to Germany as replacements for its Tornado IDSs and ECRs. Luftwaffe chose 35 F-35A Lightning II and 15

Eurofighter Typhoon The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, supersonic, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Syste ...

(ECR EW variant) instead. ;F-15IDN :The F-15IDN (formerly F-15ID) is a proposed export version of the F-15EX for the

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...

Operators

This article only covers the F-15 Advanced Eagle variants. For the operators of older legacy F-15 and F-15E-based variants, such as the F-15A/B/C/D, F-15E, F-15I, F-15S, F-15K, F-15SG, see

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force (USAF) selected McDonnell Douglas's desi ...

and

. ; *

- 50 F-15IAs on order as of 2024 ; *

Qatar Emiri Air Force The Qatar Emiri Air Force () (QEAF) is the air arm of the armed forces of the state of Qatar. It was established in 1974 as a small aerial support wing, although in modern times it has evolved into a potent, well equipped force. The QEAF is head ...

- 33 F-15QAs delivered to Qatar out of 48 planned by July 2023 (two kept in the US for testing) **Flying Wing 5 –

Al Udeid Air Base Al Udeid Air Base () is one of two military bases southwest of Doha, Qatar, also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport (). It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, United States Air Force, Royal Air Force, and other foreign forces. It is host to a forward h ...

***51st Squadron ***52nd Squadron ***53rd Squadron ; *

– 84 F-15SAs **No. 3 Wing –

King Abdulaziz Air Base King Abdulaziz Air Base () , also known as Dhahran Air Base and formerly Dhahran International Airport, Dhahran Airport and Dhahran Airfield, is a Royal Saudi Air Force base located in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Pro ...

*** No. 92 Squadron **No. 5 Wing –

King Khalid Air Base King Khalid Air Base (Arabic: قاعدة الملك خالد الجوية) (KKAB) is an airbase of Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) in the south-west of Saudi Arabia, near Khamis Mushait. History The airbase, with code KMX, has a paved runway withou ...

*** No. 6 Squadron *** No. 55 Squadron **No. 7 Wing -

King Faisal Air Base King Faisal Air Base may refer to: * King Faisal Air Base (Jordan), a military installation of the Royal Jordanian Air Force near Al-Jafr, Jordan * King Faisal Air Base (Saudi Arabia), a military installation of the Royal Saudi Air Force in Tabuk ...

*** No. 29 Squadron ; *

– 9 delivered out of 104 planned **

18th Wing The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force's largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force. The Wing's 18th ...

(

PACAF The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at the Hickam AFB portion of Join ...

) -

Kadena Air Base (International Air Transport Association airport code, IATA: DNA, International Civil Aviation Organization airport code, ICAO: RODN) is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena, Okinawa, Kadena and Chatan, Okinawa, Chatan and the ...

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

(planned) ***

44th Fighter Squadron The 44th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. The 44th Pursuit Squadron was activated on 1 January 1941 and assigned to the 18th Pursuit Group. The 44th Fighter Sq ...

***

67th Fighter Squadron The 67th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Cocks" is a fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 67th is equipped with the F-15C/D Eagle, and is planned to transition to the F-15EX ...

53d Wing The 53rd Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing reports to the United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, which in turn reports to Headquarters Air Combat Comma ...

( ACC) –

, Florida ***

85th Test and Evaluation Squadron The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron is part of the 53d Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. It conducts testing and evaluation for the F-15 Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F-16 Fighting Falcon airframes. Mission The 85th Test and Evaluation ...

96th Test Wing The 96th Test Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Test Center of Air Force Materiel Command at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The wing was activated at Eglin in 1994 as the 96th Air Base Wing, the headquarters for ...

( AFMC) – Eglin Air Force Base, Florida ***

40th Flight Test Squadron The 40th Flight Test Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 96th Operations Group, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. History "Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 2 June 1942 – 14 August 1945. Served i ...

127th Wing The 127th Wing is a composite wing of the United States Air Force, Air National Guard and Michigan National Guard. It comprises approximately 1,400 citizen airmen and provides highly trained personnel, aircraft, and support resources to serve t ...

(ANG) -

Selfridge Air National Guard Base Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Un ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

(planned) ***

107th Fighter Squadron The 107th Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Michigan Air National Guard 127th Wing. It is assigned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan and is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The squadron is a des ...

142d Fighter Wing The 142nd Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. When activated for federal service, the wing falls under control of Air Combat Command. The 123 ...

( ANG) –

Portland Air National Guard Base Portland Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, located at Portland International Airport, in Portland, Oregon. Overview The base is the home of the 142nd Wing, Oregon Air National Guard. The 142nd FW participates aroun ...

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

*** 123d Fighter Squadron **

144th Fighter Wing The 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) is a unit of the California Air National Guard, stationed at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. As part of the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, the wing is operationally gained by th ...

(ANG) –

Fresno Air National Guard Base Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...

, California (planned) ***

194th Fighter Squadron The 194th Fighter Squadron (194 FS), nicknamed ''the Griffins'', is a unit of the California Air National Guard's 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. The 194th is equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-15C/ ...

159th Fighter Wing The 159th Fighter Wing (159 FW) is a unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard, stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana. If activated to federal service, it is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat ...

(ANG) –

Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans is a base of the United States military located in Belle Chasse, unincorporated Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. NAS JRB New Orleans is home to a Navy Reserve aggressor squadron a ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

(planned) ***

122d Fighter Squadron The 122d Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Louisiana Air National Guard 159th Fighter Wing located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana. The 122d is equipped with the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The squadron was f ...

Accidents and losses

Specifications (F-15EX)

References

Notes

Citations

External links

F-15E USAF fact sheet

an
F-15EX page on Boeing.com
{{USAF system codes Twinjets

F-15EX Eagle II The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II is an American multirole fighter derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. The aircraft resulted from U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) studies in 2018 to recapitalize the United States Air Force's (USAF) ...

Aircraft first flown in 2021 Fourth-generation jet fighters Twin-tail aircraft High-wing aircraft Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear 4.5-generation jet fighters

Development

Design

Overview

Avionics

Operational history

United States

Israel

Saudi Arabia

Potential operators

Egypt

Indonesia

Poland

Thailand

Variants

Proposed variants

Operators

Accidents and losses

Specifications (F-15EX)

See also

References

Notes

Citations

External links