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Key Points: Boeing has delivered its first Lot 2 F-15EX Eagle II, designated EX-09, to the U.S. Air Force, marking a milestone in the modernization of its aging F-15C/D fleet.

-This next-generation fighter offers cutting-edge enhancements, including advanced radar, electronic warfare systems, and a 28% larger payload.

-Its Open Mission Systems Architecture ensures adaptability for future combat needs, such as operating with drones and deploying hypersonic weapons.

-Boeing, amid industry challenges, views the F-15EX as key to sustaining its defense relevance, with domestic orders and international interest from Israel, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.

-The F-15EX promises rapid deployment, affordability, and longevity.

Boeing Delivers First Lot 2 F-15EX Eagle II to U.S. Air Force for Testing

Another F-15EX Eagle II has been hatched – the first from Lot 2 for the United States Air Force. According to Boeing, the aircraft – designated EX-09 – was moved from the Boeing final assembly line to the testing facility at the St. Louis International Airport, where it will undergo testing and verification.

“Eagle II on the move! #F15EX EX9, the first jet in Lot 2 for the @USAirForce, is moving from the factory to the flight line in preparation for flight testing,” Boeing Defense announced in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, and Facebook.

Boeing had previously delivered eight Eagle IIs from the first production lot, and according to Defense Industry, six of those fighters are now at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida, “undergoing developmental testing, experimentation, and training operations,” while the two others – EX-07 and EX-08 – are now in service with the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142 Wing.

Boeing Ending Year on a High Note

It isn’t an overstatement to suggest that 2024 hasn’t been a good year for Boeing – the company has been under Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) scrutiny after an Alaska Airlines 737 Max had a door plug blow out shortly after takeoff in January, while it faced production delays and a labor strike.

In July, the aerospace firm announced it would plead guilty to fraud related to the approval of its 737 Max. Two of those aircraft crashed, killing a total of 346 people in accidents in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019. However, by pleading guilty to a felony, Boeing would normally be excluded from bidding on military contracts.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has the leeway to grant exceptions, while Boeing will continue to fulfill its existing contracts including those for the F-15EX.

Boeing Needs the F-15EX

The defense contractor is currently producing 48 additional Eagle IIs that will be manufactured in three subsequent lots, while Israel has placed orders for 25 Eagle IIs via the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

The aircraft will replace the U.S. Air Force’s aging F-15C/D models.

Production of the F-15EX is running concurrently with the F-15QA Ababil, which is being produced for Qatar and other international customers. Boeing is eager to close a deal with the Pentagon to bring the total order of the F-15EX Eagle II to 108 aircraft – and perhaps even more. At the same time, it is courting foreign buyers, including Indonesia, Poland, and Saudi Arabia.

F-15EX. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The company needs to stay relevant in the military aviation sector – as the U.S. Navy remains the only customer for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and while the company secured a $1.3 billion contract for 17 new carrier-based fighters earlier this year, production is now on track to cease in 2027.

All in on the F-15EX

The F-15EX is a two-seat all-weather, multirole fighter that offers enhanced capabilities that are unique to the U.S. Air Force. It includes fly-by-wire flight controls, new weapons stations, a new electronic warfare suite, advanced radar and computer, conformal fuel tanks, and a strengthened airframe. The improved F-15EX also features a deep magazine that will allow it to carry a load of advanced weapons – yet with a 28 percent larger payload than the F-15E.

At the same time, the Eagle II has been touted to require only minimal transitional training and little additional manpower from the older versions of the F-15. According to the Air Force, it has also required little to no infrastructure changes.

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)

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)

The Air Force has estimated that the F-15EX fighter shares about 70 percent of parts with the current F-15Cs and F-15Es that it will be replacing. In addition, the original production lines in St. Louis still in place, while the aircraft’s training facilities, maintenance depots, and other infrastructure can be also be readily shifted to F-15EX support.

Though lacking stealth and other capabilities of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the F-15EX could still be well-suited to serve as airborne controllers for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and other drones, as a launch platform for advanced weapons including hypersonic weapons and other large ordnance, and as a new platform for advanced electronic warfare (EW) platforms.

Boeing has claimed that fighters will be easier to build and quicker to put into service, while it will also result in a platform that can be maintained more cost-effectively when compared to an equal number of F-35s. The aerospace giant further noted that the F-15EX can enable rapid technology insertion that will ensure the platform’s relevance for decades to come.

This will be accomplished via an Open Mission Systems Architecture, which can deliver Advanced Battle Management Systems (ABMS) capabilities, allowing the F-15EX to operate independently while isolated but also to reconnect to the global cloud.

The F-15EX Eagle II, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Karissa Rodriguez)

The F-15EX Eagle II, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. Karissa Rodriguez)

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Senior Editor focusing on defense issues for 19FortyFive. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,500 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on X: @PeterSuciu – and on Bluesky: @petersuciu.bsky.social.