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Not Stealth: The F-15EX Eagle II combines decades of proven combat success with cutting-edge upgrades, making it a formidable force in modern air combat.

-Known for an unmatched air-to-air record and a thrust-to-weight ratio rivaling modern fighters like the Su-35, the F-15EX is now equipped with advanced AESA radar, IRST systems, and the ADCP II supercomputer.

-These enhancements enable precision targeting and survivability in electronic warfare environments.

-While it lacks stealth capabilities, the F-15EX excels in air-to-ground missions and complements stealth aircraft by operating in secure air corridors. The upgraded Eagle II proves 4th-gen fighters still have a critical role in modern warfare.

Why the F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Remains a Top Contender in Modern Warfare

The F-15EX Eagle II fighter aircraft is reported to operate with one of the most superior thrust-to-weight ratios in the world, and the aircraft has an exemplary combat record going back decades. 

The F-15 has become famous for achieving 100 or more combat victories without a single aerial combat loss. This statistic generates significant attention worldwide and explains why the 1980s aircraft remains in service. 

The F-15’s thrust-to-weight ratio may help explain its unparalleled air-war success. An interesting compilation from World Defense lists the F-15 as having a 1.29 thrust-to-weight ratio, right next to the Russian Su-35 at 1.30.

The F-22, however, when outfitted with “round nozzles,” can hit a 1.37 thrust-to-weight ratio, according to the assessment. 

Massive F-15 Upgrades

Of tremendous significance, however, is the fact that upgrades have fully transformed the F-15 from a Cold War 4th-generation fighter into a 4th-gen “plus” aircraft in position to prove quite relevant in a modern battlefield. 

The F-15, particularly the F-15EX, has received massive upgrades to include Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar, which is also on the F-35 and upgraded F-16.

The F-15 has also received new electronics, avionics, weapons, fire control, and, perhaps most importantly, an advanced high-speed computer.

Several years back, the F-15 was engineered with the Advanced Display Core Processor II, a high-speed computer.

Boeing and US Air Force weapons developers explained the computer as being capable of performing billions of functions per second. 

A significant US Air Force essay from 2016 catalogs the first flight of the ADCP II on an F-15. 

“The ADCP II high-speed processing and interface designs enable advanced systems integration, increased mission effectiveness, augmented fault-tolerance, enhanced system stability and aircrew survivability,” the Air Force essay explains. 

According to the US Air Force, the most critical element of the computer upgrade is that the new computer will support ongoing aircraft upgrades that dramatically improve performance capacity and allow for continued software enhancements. The ADCP II supports the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System and the well-known and highly impactful Infrared Search and Track Systems (IRST). These technologies greatly enhance the ability of the aircraft to operate in a high-threat electronic warfare (EW ) “Jamming” environment. IRST is also integrated into the US Navy’s F/A-18 and is credited with greatly improving targeting precision range and accuracy 

An F-15EX Eagle II from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, 53rd Wing, takes flight for the first time out of Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 26, 2021, prior to departure for Northern Edge 2021. The F-15EX brings next-generation combat technology to a highly successful fighter airframe that is capable of projecting power across multiple domains for the Joint Force. (U.S Air Force photo by 1st Lt Savanah Bray)

Lack of Stealth

An F-15 liability, one might say, is its lack of stealth. With Russian media reporting that its S-400 and S-500 advanced air defenses can track and hit stealth aircraft, a claim which has yet to be proven, the F-15 may be vulnerable in a high-end fight against an advanced adversary.

Chinese air defenses are also likely to present various threat scenarios for the F-15, as a report from DW says upgraded Chinese HQ-9 air defenses can now hit ranges of 239km.

For this reason, some have suggested that more significant numbers of F-22s and F-35s replace the F-15s. However, evidence indicates that upgraded F-15s should remain a key part of the fleet. 

There is still a place within air combat for an advanced 4th-generation aircraft to support a significant warfare campaign. An F-15 could follow through a safer “air corridor” created by stealth aircraft that have destroyed enemy air defenses. In this capacity, it could deliver ordnance, conduct air-to-ground strikes, and engage any possible enemy 4th-gen aircraft as well.

Finally, there are likely many scenarios in which a US Air Force 4th-generation fighter could demonstrate tremendous air utility in an air war.

F-15EX Eagle II Fighter from Boeing.

F-15EX Eagle II Fighter from Boeing.

About the Author: Kris Osborn 

Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.