Boeing F-15EX/QA and related variants

I would also point out that if loading an airframe to the gills with AAMs is goal, nothing would stop an F-35 Blk 4 with sidekick from carrying a dozen weapons either.
(1)Sidekick isn't part of the upgrade. Some customers want to go for it(Japan), but this is a local diversion. Or did things change?

(2)With external stores f-35 starts to lose out to new f-15 in many ways. While they can be used as such, overall it's much better to keep them clean.
 
I haven't heard anyone call the SABR mediocre before.
To be fair, in term of detection range, even when compare against APG-80, the APG-83 is pretty pathetic since F-16 block 70 lack cooling capacity of F-16 block 60
 
Poles f-35 will be in lot 16 and lot 17. Most Polish f-35 will be in lot 16, but 6 of them will be from 17.
View: https://x.com/TheFuriousFafik/status/1828464292628242710
I'm not really sure what you are implying by quoting the twitter links. The only source I have for APG-85 being US only is Steve Trimble of AvWeek who is not a particularly reliable source but has been towing the APG-85 US only line for over a year now. He said the same thing on an AvWeek podcast in June.

And with Block 4, you're going to get a new radar, for just the U.S. customers, actually the APG-85, which is going to replace the APG-81. The international customers will stay with the APG-81.
 
@gigant_rejser : Of course! ;)

I was more thinking at plinking Drones and Cruise Missiles.

Note: I do believe Poland would phase out their F-16 earlier than planned if they do acquire the EX.
"I do believe Poland would phase out their F-16 earlier than planned if they do acquire the EX." - I am sorry, but they do not do it. PL f-16 are too new (about 20 lears).
 
I'm not really sure what you are implying by quoting the twitter links. The only source I have for APG-85 being US only is Steve Trimble of AvWeek who is not a particularly reliable source but has been towing the APG-85 US only line for over a year now. He said the same thing on an AvWeek podcast in June.


Thank you.
 
Since the USAF is in the process of retiring its' F-15C/Ds and will soon be retiring the early block F-15Es (The ones powered with the -220 engine) despite their airframes being heavily fatigued I wonder if they have enough airframe life left to consider donating some of them to Ukraine (After of course training Ukrainian F-15 pilots and ground-crew)?
 
Since the USAF is in the process of retiring its' F-15C/Ds and will soon be retiring the early block F-15Es (The ones powered with the -220 engine) despite their airframes being heavily fatigued I wonder if they have enough airframe life left to consider donating some of them to Ukraine (After of course training Ukrainian F-15 pilots and ground-crew)?
If Ukraine desires a twin-engine "heavy fighter" to counter Russia's Flankers, the Eurofighter Typhoon is a more logistically available option in Europe. F-15s provided to Ukraine would have to be flown all the way from the Continental United States across the Atlantic Ocean before they can arrive in Ukraine. In fact, it was reported in August 2022 that the Eurofighter Typhoon was one of several Western fighters that was requested by the Ukrainian Air Force (Diaz, 2022).
 
Since the USAF is in the process of retiring its' F-15C/Ds and will soon be retiring the early block F-15Es (The ones powered with the -220 engine) despite their airframes being heavily fatigued I wonder if they have enough airframe life left to consider donating some of them to Ukraine (After of course training Ukrainian F-15 pilots and ground-crew)?
The Strike Eagles were built for a 16,000hr life with a depot overhaul at 8,000hrs, and from their IOC of 1989 till 2012 the fleet accrual averaged 6,000 hours, an average of 260hrs/yr. That suggests a potential lifespan of about 60 years, so roughly 2050 for the retirement date.

I'd suspect that the F-15E-220s would still have a lot of life left in them to sell/donate towards Ukraine.

And to be perfectly honest, any plane with more than about 300 hours remaining on the airframe is probably usable. Won't last long, but will work.
 
Since the USAF is in the process of retiring its' F-15C/Ds and will soon be retiring the early block F-15Es (The ones powered with the -220 engine) despite their airframes being heavily fatigued I wonder if they have enough airframe life left to consider donating some of them to Ukraine (After of course training Ukrainian F-15 pilots and ground-crew)?
Maybe, essentially same engine and same weapons systems as the F-16s. Would the US be happy to transfer aircraft with the APG-82, perhaps not but not sure.

I expect though the more likely scenario is to continue providing the F-16.
 
If Ukraine desires a twin-engine "heavy fighter" to counter Russia's Flankers, the Eurofighter Typhoon is a more logistically available option in Europe. F-15s provided to Ukraine would have to be flown all the way from the Continental United States across the Atlantic Ocean before they can arrive in Ukraine. In fact, it was reported in August 2022 that the Eurofighter Typhoon was one of several Western fighters that was requested by the Ukrainian Air Force (Diaz, 2022).
Does anyone have spare Eurofighters to donate? The UK has an on again off again relationship with its T1s but I can't see too many other nations with Eurofighters a sitting around that could be donated.
 
Maybe, essentially same engine and same weapons systems as the F-16s. Would the US be happy to transfer aircraft with the APG-82, perhaps not but not sure.

I expect though the more likely scenario is to continue providing the F-16.
There is also the possibility of Ukraine acquiring the Gripen from Sweden in the future. On September 9, 2024, Sweden announced its 17th aid package for Ukraine of 4.6 billion Swedish crowns or $443 million USD which included funds to "facilitate a transfer of Gripen fighter jets in the future" (Reuters, 2024).
 
There is also the possibility of Ukraine acquiring the Gripen from Sweden in the future. On September 9, 2024, Sweden announced its 17th aid package for Ukraine of 4.6 billion Swedish crowns or $443 million USD which included funds to "facilitate a transfer of Gripen fighter jets in the future" (Reuters, 2024).
Not a good choice IMO. Too small a global fleet and neither Sweden or the other few nations who purchased it have many to spare.
 
Not a good choice IMO. Too small a global fleet and neither Sweden or the other few nations who purchased it have many to spare.
Sweden's in the process of upgrading to new-build Gripen Es, while their requirements point to keeping the Cs, I could very much see them gradually shipping Cs to Ukraine and increasing their E buy in compensation.
 
Sweden's in the process of upgrading to new-build Gripen Es, while their requirements point to keeping the Cs, I could very much see them gradually shipping Cs to Ukraine and increasing their E buy in compensation.
Any increase in Gripen E is 5+ years away at best. Per a recent TWZ article,

Sweden currently has about 97 C and D variants in service. While they had planned to do away with all the C/D variants in favor of the E models, that was scrapped after Russia invaded Ukraine and Stockholm decided it wanted to maintain a larger Air Force.

Sweden’s long-term plan is to have 120 Gripens serving by 2030, with half being E variants. That would leave roughly 37 C/D models potentially available to Ukraine, but the number is likely a bit lower due to airframe fatigue and other factors. However, it remains highly questionable that Sweden can get 60 Es in service in that timeline, meaning a continued need for the existing airframes. That could reduce the number that could be available for Ukraine in the relatively near term. An additional factor is that because Sweden opted not to procure the two-seat F variant, there will be a continued need for the D model for training purposes, further reducing the amount of Gripens that could eventually go to Ukraine.

IIRC Sweden still has Gripen A/Bs in storage too.
There are no Gripen A/B remaining in storage. To save money all A/Bs in storage were converted/cannibalized to C/D as part of that build.

There were 14 unfinished white tail C/Ds but I believe these have been committed to customers now.
 
There were 14 unfinished white tail C/Ds but I believe these have been committed to customers now.
Hungary will get 4 additional new C/D models, I guess they will be sourced from those 14 airframes. Still 10 airframes left in that case. But such low numbers don't make it worthwhile to introduce the type into Ukrainian service imho.

The retirement of the -220 powered USAF Strike Eagles is just a plan at the moment. No final decision has been made yet.
 
The retirement of the -220 powered USAF Strike Eagles is just a plan at the moment. No final decision has been made yet.
Yes USAF stated intent but has to get Congressional approval which as evidenced by the number of platforms still in USAF service they would rather be rid off that it isn't always what the USAF want.
 

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