Boeing F-15EX / F-15QA and related variants

Ozair said:
The USAF has only lost one F-15E to adversary action compared to three to friendly fire. Give the volume of sorties flown to date I don't think EPAWSS presence or lack of is really impacting F-15E survivability. TTPs likely have a much greater impact.
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The opponent is not so strong. Imagine same kind of operations over China....
 
Ozair said:
Interesting bulk out of the fleet. The intent then is F-15EX moving into the regular air force and not just ANG units. Could also mean the replacement of the whole existing E fleet but at least justifies the -220 fleet being retired.

Of course we have seen this number float up and down previously so could change again in a couple of years with a new administration. Boeing also has a limit on yearly production, which is likely as much the supplier base as it is floor space, which would have to either increase those aspects which won't be cheap or quick especially for the supplier base or export users such as Israel get pushed back.
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Yeah, IIRC the F-15EX max production rate is only 24/year.

Which means it will take way too long to replace all the Mud Hens.
 
Desertfox said:
The 1.5 trillion budget is a pipedream. Numbers should be revised to more realistic figures.
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Difference between what is possible and what is needed, and that kind of budget is probably needed to get out of some of the ruts the us military is in right now.
 
Cjc said:
Difference between what is possible and what is needed, and that kind of budget is probably needed to get out of some of the ruts the us military is in right now.
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We are already spending more than the next 10 countries combined. If we can't do it with the money we have, more money isnt going to solve the problem.
 
More on the F-15EX:
  • Looking at multiple sources including Boeing's Q126 financials, only 17 F-15EX have been delivered as of 3/31/2026 (of which only 1 in Q1)
  • A bipartisan bill has been introduced authorizing multi-year procurement of F-35 and F-15EX and increasing the program of record to 329 F-15EX. The bill also mandates an increased fighter TAI of 1558 aircraft by 2035. We'll see if any of this has legs.
 
Scott Kenny said:
Not totally sold on replacing Mud Hens with Eagle IIs, but at least they're new airframes.
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There is no other option. The USAF is burning vast piles of airframe life (and airframes!) in the ME. Ditto for doubling down on F-35A and throwing money at bringing whatever Block IV capabilities are still deliverable by 2031.

In fact, depending on the future threat picture, F/A-XX’s capabilities, cost and NG’s ability to rapidly ramp delivery volumes to Cold War -like levels, the USAF might be wise to look into a CTOL version of F/A-XX, although I suspect they would prefer more F-47s.
 
25 More F-15I for Israel:

The aircraft will eventually bring the Israeli Air Force’s F-35i fleet to 100 and F-15IA — the Israeli variant of the advanced F-15EX — fleet to 50 in the coming years.

Currently, Israel has 48 F-35I jets, following an initial order of 50. Another 25 F-35s were ordered in 2023, which are expected to be delivered starting in 2028. Israel ordered 25 F-15IA jets in 2024, and the first are expected to be delivered starting in 2031.
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveb...e-squadrons-of-f-35i-and-f-15ia-fighter-jets/
 
Cjc said:
Difference between what is possible and what is needed, and that kind of budget is probably needed to get out of some of the ruts the us military is in right now.
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It is unlikely in the extreme. It would require a reconciliation bill to bypass the filibuster and it would require 100% unity on the part of Republicans to cut more Medicare right before an election. Post election, democrats likely have control of the House and no such cuts will be tolerated. It seems unlikely there will even be funding for Iran, IMO, since no congressional approval or bipartisan support was sought. We are probably about to see the DoD budget fall off a cliff due to the Iran expenses.

More on topic, it does see that small steady stream of F-15EX will enter service based on the posts above. It does have a lot of payload compared to other aircraft, both in terms of number of hard points and total payload. I think it also has the single largest pylon max weight as well among US (and probably all western) fighters. It seems likely there are some oversized weapons beyond HACM in the works.
 
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Josh_TN said:
It is unlikely in the extreme. It would require a reconciliation bill to bypass the filibuster and it would require 100% unity on the part of Republicans to cut more Medicare right before an election. Post election, democrats likely have control of the House and no such cuts will be tolerated. It seems unlikely there will even be funding for Iran, IMO, since no congressional approval or bipartisan support was sought. We are probably about to see the DoD budget fall off a cliff due to the Iran expenses.

More on topic, it does see that small steady stream of F-15EX will enter service based on the posts above. It does have a lot of payload as an over other aircraft, both in terms of number of hard points and total payload. I think it also has the single largest pylon max weight as well among US (and probably all western) fighters. It seems likely there are some oversized weapons beyond HACM in the works.
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F/A-XX might be the new Phantom: a large strike fighter with VLO characteristics able to lug as much as an Eagle that every USAF pilots might need sooner or later.
 
TomcatViP said:
F/A-XX might be the new Phantom: a large strike fighter with VLO characteristics able to lug as much as an Eagle that every USAF pilots might need sooner or later.
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If it is ever built. But that is best discussed in its own thread. I’m willing to bet there is never one employed by USAF.
 
Josh_TN said:
I’m willing to bet there is never one employed by USAF.
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Don't be so sure about that, there's precedent with McNamara forcing the F-4 down the USAF's collective throat back in 1961.
 
NMaude said:
Don't be so sure about that, there's precedent with McNamara forcing the F-4 down the USAF's collective throat back in 1961.
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Possible, but unlikely. There hasn't been a SecDef with as much power since McNamara.

Assuming that the F-47 has weapons bays at least large enough for SiAW, it will have space for a lot of other A2G weapons.
 
NMaude said:
Don't be so sure about that, there's precedent with McNamara forcing the F-4 down the USAF's collective throat back in 1961.
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I am aware, but since F-47 is already funded it seems unlikely.
 
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https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-35-delays-drove-boost-to-air-forces-f-15ex-buy/

In a May 12 Senate Armed Services air-land subcommittee hearing, Lt. Gen. David Tabor, deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, expanded on the Air Force’s decision to boost its F-15EX fleet, and said the F-35’s behind-schedule Technology Refresh 3, or TR-3, and Block 4 upgrades were a factor.
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But factors including a monthslong strike in 2025 at Boeing’s St. Louis, Mo., plant, where F-15EXs are built, have slowed deliveries of the Eagle IIs. That has in turn had follow-on effects, such as requiring the Air Force to temporarily deploy F-22 Raptors to Kadena Air Base in Japan while the base awaits its permanent F-15EXs.
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Cropsey said Boeing has offered a plan to get to two a month, which he called “a well thought-out plan.” The company also has a roadmap to eventually get to three or four fighters a month, with the help of additional infrastructure and capital investments in St. Louis. That plan includes standing up one or two additional production lines, he said.
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The SECAF stated today that their goal with Boeing for F-15EX production is 48 per year, to support FMS sales as well as US orders (HASC hearing). The F-15 doesn't win a lot of FMS orders, though.
 
joshjosh said:
The SECAF stated today that their goal with Boeing for F-15EX production is 48 per year, to support FMS sales as well as US orders (HASC hearing). The F-15 doesn't win a lot of FMS orders, though.
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Perhaps a lack of near term availability is one of the issues though for FMS acquisition? At less than 24 a year today and likely not getting to 24 until 2028 with existing USAF and Israeli orders it makes sense that foreign sales have been less than stellar. At 24 a year and with increased USAF orders it would be more than twelve years before a new buyer could get access to airframes.
 
While that is true, the F-15 is capable of particularly heavy payloads and has the highest pylon max weight of any fighter I can think of. Though the entire conversation does beg the question, what larger weapons? The only known one I can think of is HACM, though I get the distinct impression that there are others pending.
 
Josh_TN said:
While that is true, the F-15 is capable of particularly heavy payloads and has the highest pylon max weight of any fighter I can think of. Though the entire conversation does beg the question, what larger weapons? The only known one I can think of is HACM, though I get the distinct impression that there are others pending.
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GBU-72 comes to mind.
 
Josh_TN said:
Though the entire conversation does beg the question, what larger weapons? The only known one I can think of is HACM, though I get the distinct impression that there are others pending.
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There are likely several long range kill chain weapons being developed for the F-15EX. Air to air and A2G. HACM, possibly ARRW (Lockheed has shown it even on F-35 in its graphics) and the new ALBM should all be F-15EX compatible.
 

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