Summary and Key Points: Boeing's F-15EX Eagle II, the upgraded variant of the F-15 Eagle, has officially arrived, with the first operational aircraft delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing on June 5. A total of 18 F-15EXs will be delivered over the next two years, replacing the aging F-15C/D models.

-The F-15EX features increased weapons capacity and improved flexibility, positioning it as a cost-effective alternative to newer stealth fighters like the F-35.

-Despite its higher costs, which led to a reduced order of 98 aircraft, Boeing is actively seeking foreign buyers, with Israel, Poland, and Indonesia expressing interest.

Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II Officially Joins the U.S. Air Force Fleet

It has been a long time coming – the official arrival of Boeing's F-15EX Eagle II, the upgraded variant of the F-15 Eagle. The United States Air Force announced that it had received the first operationally configured Eagle II, which arrived in Portland, Oregon on June 5. The aircraft, serial number EX8, flew from Boeing's St. Louis, Missouri factory to the Portland Air National Guard Base, home of the Oregon Air National Guard's (ANG's) 142nd Fighter Wing.

A second aircraft, serial number EX7, will be delivered in the coming weeks. In total eighteen F-15EX Eagle IIs will make the flight from Missouri to Oregon, which the unit is expected to be delivered over the next two years. The U.S. Air Force is on track to receive 98 of the aircraft – which will replace the aging F-15C/D models currently in service. It is noteworthy that an ANG unit is receiving the latest and greatest before any active duty units.

However, the 142nd Fighter Wing is tasked with performing homeland defense and air-interdiction missions in the Pacific Northwest and has been preparing to receive the F-15EX for several years – which has included readying the base for the aircraft.

"This is the first time, to my knowledge, that an Air National Guard base got a major weapon system before the active component. It's a super big deal," Wing Commander Col. Michael Kosderka said in a video posted online by the Air Force, according to a report from Defense News.

Aerospace giant Boeing had previously delivered six "test-configured" Eagle IIs to the air service for evaluation and flight trials, Flight Global reported. Those aircraft have undergone testing with the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida.

The F-15EX Eagle II – Capable Warbird or Expensive Gen 4+ Fighter?

The F-15EX was developed to enhance the current F-15 mission used in homeland defense. The Air Force is currently phasing out its aging F-15C/D models, some of which have seen 40 years or longer in service. The twin-engine, all-weather tactical F-15 has had one of the most successful track records of modern fighters, with more than 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat.

The aircraft's design also proved flexible enough that an improved all-weather strike derivative, the F-15E Strike Eagle, was later developed and entered service in 1989. The F-15EX will enhance the current F-15 mission used in homeland defense. Notably, the F-15EX is able to increase its weapons load compared to the original F-15 with the addition of four missile stations located toward the wing tips. The Eagle II can carry a full dozen missiles or other ordnance, while previous models could only carry eight. In total, the F-15EX Eagle II can carry as much ordnance as a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber.

Boeing has also long touted the F-15EX to be a "do-it-all" fighter and further claimed it would be easier to build and quicker to put into service than the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, while it will also result in a platform that can be maintained more cost-effectively when compared to an equal number of the fifth-generation stealth fighter.

The aerospace firm also has made the case that the F-15EX can enable rapid technology insertion that will ensure the platform's relevance for decades to come – and that as the Air Force has the largest F-15 fleet in the world, it would require no new logistics chains, training squadrons, infrastructure modification, program offices or even weapons integration. However, the issue has been the rising costs have been a concern.

Though the United States Air Force has scaled back its order of the Eagle II due to its costs – down to 98 from a planned 104 fighters – Boeing continues to court foreign buyers. U.S. partner Israel has been inching closer to buying at least two dozen F-15EXs, while Poland and Indonesia have also eyed the fighter.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 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 Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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