The plans indicate that F-15EX production would continue through fiscal 2031. The aircraft are intended to replace older F-15C/D fighters that are nearing the end of their combat service life.
The F-15EX can carry significantly more weapons than stealth fighters, with a payload capacity of up to 14,000 kg. The aircraft can perform a wide range of missions, including air defense, strikes against ground and maritime targets, and weapons transport to forward bases.
According to documents supporting the fiscal 2027 aircraft procurement request for the Air Force, the F-15EX is expected to go to both an active-duty operational unit and the Air National Guard. The planned purchase is part of a broader effort to recapitalize the Air Force’s fighter fleet.
The F-15EX program was created after the Air Force sought a rapid way to recapitalize its aging F-15C/D fleet. Those aircraft have faced years of structural fatigue problems, declining operational readiness and rising sustainment costs.
In July 2020, the Department of Defense awarded Boeing an initial contract worth about $1.2 billion for the first production lot of F-15EX fighters. The original plans called for the purchase of up to 144 aircraft, but procurement goals later increased in response to new Air Force modernization priorities and budget debates.
The F-15EX is derived from the latest export variants of the F-15QA and F-15SA. However, it incorporates mission systems tailored specifically to U.S. Air Force requirements.
The aircraft is equipped with the AN/APG-82(V)1 active electronically scanned array radar and the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System. It also includes advanced digital avionics, large-area displays and an open mission systems architecture.
The F-15EX modernization program turns a Cold War-era fighter design into a digital combat aircraft. It is intended to operate in modern, network-centric warfare environments.
The aircraft can carry more than 13 air-to-air missiles. It is also designed to use future long-range precision weapons, including hypersonic systems and extended-range munitions.
The F-15EX can be integrated quickly into existing bases, maintenance systems and pilot training processes. That makes it a near-term option for replacing aging fighters while supporting a wider Air Force modernization effort.
