14 July 2020: Boeing will be building eight F15EX, the most advanced version of fighter jets for US Air Force to enhance its fighter fleet capacity. The entire contract is for USD 1.2 billion and covers the support and one-time upfront engineering costs. The construction of first lot is already started at the St. Louis facility and two jets will be delivered next year. Apart from this, the US Air Force has also announced the overall Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract with a ceiling value of nearly USD 23 billion for F-15EX.
“The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the F-15 ever built, due in large part to its digital backbone,” said Lori Schneider, Boeing F-15EX program manager. “It’s unmatched range, price and best-in-class payload capacity make the F-15EX an attractive choice for the US Air Force.”
The F-15EX carries more weapons than any other fighter in its class, and can launch hypersonic weapons up to 22 feet long and weighing up to 7,000 pounds.
To further support the digital airframe and advance rapid technology insertion, the F-15 program serves as a pathfinder for the Department of Defence’s DevSecOps initiative, aimed at developing secure, flexible and agile software. Additionally, open mission systems architecture ensures its viability for decades.
Watch the complete video of F 16EX below
“F-15EX brings together benefits of digital engineering, open mission systems and agile software development to keep it affordable and upgradable for decades to come,” said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager. “This means we can rapidly test and field new capabilities on F-15EX keeping our war fighters ahead of threats.”
Pilots and mechanics currently operating the F-15 anticipate transitioning to the F-15EX in a matter of days as opposed to years. Future plans call for as many as 144 aircraft.
“We listened to our customer every step of the way when developing this exciting jet,” said Kumar. “What we will soon deliver is a modern and robust aircraft that supports our nation’s defence by incorporating the latest systems, sensors and weapons.”
