Second F-15EX delivered to US Air Force.

On April 20, a Boeing-led industry team  officially delivered a second F-15EX fighter aircraft to the US Air Force earlier than the contract requirement. The result of a collaboration across industry, the US Air Force and the Air National Guard, the F-15EX is a ready-now replacement for the F-15C that includes best-in-class payload, range and speed and an all-new digital infrastructure.

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The 53rd Wing welcomed the second F-15EX Eagle II to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 20, 2021. Flown in by Maj. Aaron Eshkenazi, F-15 pilot, the second F-15EX showcases the 53rd Wing’s traditional “OT” tail flash and is assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron (Picture source: US Air Force)

“Moving from contract award to delivery in a matter of months enables the US Air Force to get a head start on flight testing and demonstrates our commitment to exceeding expectations,” said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager. “Along with state-of-the-art avionics and survivability suite, the new F-15EX includes almost 3 miles of high-speed digital data bus to enable open architecture, which will keep it evolving ahead of threats for decades.”

The second F-15EX arrived at Eglin Air Force Base to begin testing with the first EX that was delivered last month.

In July 2020, the US Air Force awarded Boeing an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract for up to 200 F-15EXs to replace the undefeated but aging F-15C. The Air Force has announced initial basing locations in Florida and Oregon.

“Delivering the F-15EX to defend our freedom is a source of intense pride for the Boeing and industry team,” said Kumar.