USAF to get first lot of F-15EX fighter aircraft from Boeing in deal nearing $1.2 billion
NewsJuly 14, 2020
WASHINGTON. The Department of the Air Force has awarded a contract to Boeing -- worth nearly $1.2 billion -- for its first lot of eight F-15EX fighter aircraft, which uses open mission systems architecture to enable the rapid insertion of new technologies intended to keep the aircraft viable for decades to come.
The F-15EX will replace the oldest F-15C/Ds in the service’s inventory; the Air Force plans to purchase a total of 76 F-15EX aircraft over the five-year Future Years Defense Program.
The F-15EX, a two-seat fighter with U.S.-only capabilities, is able to carry a load of advanced weapons and -- Air Force officials say -- requires minimal transitional training or additional manpower and little to no infrastructure changes, thereby ensuring the successful continuation of the mission.
"The F-15EX’s digital backbone, open mission systems, and generous payload capacity fit well with our vision for future net-enabled warfare,” said Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. “Continually upgrading systems, and how they share data across the Joint Force, is critical for defeating advanced threats. F-15EX is designed to evolve from day one.”
