The F-15EX Program Is In Trouble
The Air Force is looking to reduce the size of its F-15EX buy to the point that it is likely to be more trouble than it’s worth.
BY
THOMAS NEWDICK
,
TYLER ROGOWAY
APR 26, 2022 4:33 PM
Officials within the U.S. Air Force are examining options for canceling the service’s new F-15EX Eagle II fighter, a type that was only accepted into the inventory a little over a year ago, after buying just 80 examples. In what would be a remarkable turnaround, should it happen, the capping of the F-15EX fleet would be good news for the F-35A stealth fighter, procurement of which is currently being slowed to ensure more funds for the initial Eagle II buys. The War Zone originally broke the F-15EX story in 2018.
In its budget request for Fiscal Year 2023, the Air Force has reduced its expected overall F-15EX purchase to 80 aircraft, after originally saying it would buy at least 144 to replace its aging F-15C/D Eagles and perhaps also to supplant its F-15E Strike Eagles. If the service does follow through on this new plan, the final Eagle II would be purchased in Fiscal Year 2024.
A suggestion that the Air Force officials might be looking at trimming the overall F-15EX buy came late last month. Valerie Insinna of Breaking Defense reported that “two sources with knowledge of the matter” had confirmed that Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall had tasked the service’s budget corps to consider canceling the F-15EX.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/the-f-15ex-program-is-in-trouble
