The following is the Nov. 3, 2021, Congressional Research Service report: Air Force F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Program.
From the report
On March 11, 2021, the U.S. Air Force took delivery of its first F-15EX Eagle II fighter. The Eagle II program is intended to deliver 144 aircraft to replace aging F-15Cs, most of which are in the Air National Guard.
The Trump Administration’s FY2020 budget proposal included a request for $1.1 billion to buy 8 F-15EX aircraft, the first procurement toward a planned initial buy of 144. This proposal represented a change from previous Air Force plans to procure only stealthy “fifth-generation” fighter aircraft.
The subsequent FY2021 defense budget proposal requested about $1.27 billion in procurement funding for 12 Eagle IIs and $133.5 million in advance procurement for future aircraft. The proposed budget also requested about $159.8 million for F-15EX research and development.
FY2021 defense authorization act: The FY2021 defense authorization bill funded F-15EX procurement at $1.24 billion, a reduction of $27.6 million from the requested level, for “airframe excess to need.” The report accompanying the bill included language prohibiting divestment of F-15Cs in the European theater pending delivery of a plan to maintain equal or better air capability in that theater.
FY2021 defense appropriations bill: The final omnibus budget bill funded F-15EX procurement at $1.23 billion for 12 aircraft, $36.2 million below the Trump Administration’s request, citing “unit cost adjustment.”
On March 11, 2021, the U.S. Air Force took delivery of its first F-15EX Eagle II fighter. The Eagle II program is intended to deliver 144 aircraft to replace aging F-15Cs, most of which are in the Air National Guard.
As the F-15 has formed the backbone of the Air Force’s air superiority fleet and later its heavy strike capability, with units stationed around the country, Congress has devoted increasing attention to the jet’s longevity and questions regarding its ongoing suitability for use as the fleet ages.
The Air Force received its first F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter in 1974. Subsequently, the F-15 evolved to encompass more roles, most notably with the deployment of the F-15E Strike Eagle in 1989. The F-15E added substantial air-to-ground capability, including a second cockpit for a weapons systems officer. The Air Force has 453 F-15s of all variants, the newest of which, an F-15E, was ordered in 2001. Following the last U.S. order, F-15s have continued in production for a variety of international customers, including (among others) Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Japan.
Current F-15s have stronger airframes and more advanced sensors, processors, and flight control systems than those in the U.S. fleet. Many also include conformal fuel tanks to extend range and increase payload. The F-15EX is based on the most advanced Eagles, currently in production for Qatar, and would add radar and other subsystems unique to the United States. Boeing says that the F-15EX would have 70% parts commonality with existing U.S. F-15s. Recognizing that the aircraft is both a continuation but carries new capabilities, the Air Force has named the aircraft “Eagle II.”
The F-15EX first flew at Boeing’s St. Louis, MO, plant on February 2, 2021.
Download the document here.
