The Air National Guard is potentially looking to purchase more F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets.

In a recent event, the head of Air National Guard lauded the capabilities of the advanced aircraft and express a desire for more.

More F-15EX Eagle IIs

Right now, the Air National Guard is slated to receive 104 F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. But that might change in the future.

In a question to the veteran journalist Howard Altman, Lieutenant General Michael A. Loh, the director of the Air National Guard, voiced a desire for more F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets.

“I hope so. I mean, we have a capacity and a capability need out there. And so to get more and more fighter units recapitalized into the newer equipment, I would love to have more EXs,” Lt. Gen. Loh said.

“The open mission system architecture, a separate computer from the OFP, the operational flight program computer, so the one that runs it, and also fiber that goes out across it. So high-speed data, high speed fiber, open mission system architecture. We can put our own operating system on there. We can integrate weapons, sensors— anything that you can think of, we can integrate on that rapidly. And we can do rapid reprogramming on that system without ever touching the OFP. That is a game changer when you think about modern day warfare,” the head of the Air National Guard added.

Loh also focused on the weapon delivery capabilities of the F-15EX Eagle II. The fighter jet can pack a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. Indeed, EX is a beast with the ability to carry up to 30,000lbs of munitions.  

“The other thing is it can take outsized weapons, so any long-range missiles, long-range weapons – JASSM-ERs – all those capabilities that are out there. With conformal fuel tanks, it has it has the ability to go long-ranges. So, longer ranges than even the F-15C. Those long-ranges allow us to deliver air superiority in a combat capable configuration over distances that we will see in future conflicts,” Loh said.

The F-15EX Eagle II

The F-15EX Eagle II is an improved version of the most effective air superiority fighter in the world. A 4.5th generation aircraft, the F-15EX Eagle II sports several upgrades from its older siblings. It has an updated cockpit, a powerful AN/APG-82 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, data fusion capabilities, improved engines.

The fighter jet can also deliver its munitions at long ranges due to its substantial operational range of almost 1,300 miles. In terms of performance, the F-15EX Eagle II can reach speeds of up to Mach 2.5 (or about 1,900 miles per hour) and has an operating ceiling of 70,000 feet.

The F-15 aircraft family is the deadliest in the skies today. For decades, the F-15 fighter jet has ruled the skies with an impressive kill count of 114-0 (the Israeli Air Force has the most kills with the aircraft). The F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lighting II might both be far more advanced, but they haven’t had the opportunity to assert their air dominance skills like the F-15.

About the Author  

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP. Email the author: [email protected].