F-15EX Completes First Phase of Testing, Launches Three JASSMs

USAF F-15

The US Air Force (USAF) has announced that the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, the latest variant of the F-15 fighter jet, has completed the first phase of its Integrated Test and Evaluation (IT&E) program. The IT&E Phase I involved 19 large-force engagements, where the F-15EX integrated with fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 and F-35, and demonstrated its air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. The F-15EX also launched three AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs), the longest-range non-nuclear air-to-ground munitions in the US inventory, in a single sortie.

The IT&E Phase I was conducted by the 53rd Wing, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and the 40th Flight Test Squadron, based at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The data collected from this phase will be analyzed by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Director of Operational Test and Evaluation for final reporting to steer a full rate production decision determination in the coming months.

The F-15EX is a two-seat, multirole fighter that is based on the F-15QA ordered by Qatar. It features advanced avionics, a digital cockpit, fly-by-wire controls, and a new electronic warfare system. It can carry up to 29,500 pounds of weapons, including 12 AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) or 22 Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs). The F-15EX is intended to replace the aging F-15C/D fleet in the USAF service.

The USAF accepted the first F-15EX in March 2021 and plans to purchase up to 144 F-15EXs over the next decade. The F-15EX is also being considered by Indonesia as a potential export customer.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, Janes, The Aviationist, Defense News