Boeing’s Growing F-15EX Eagle II Challenges

The Boeing F-15EX Eagle II is among the most demanded fighter jets after the Lockheed F-35. Introduced in 2021, it is a fourth-generation jet known for its air superiority and survivability. Boeing is now confronting pressure from the US and the purchasing countries to expedite the production of its fighter.
“It will take time — we’re rebuilding a workforce that needs the experience,” said Mark Sears, Boeing’s vice president for fighters.
The $90 million fighter is around $7.5 million more than the price of an F-35A. The F-35 is designed for anti-access zones and is expected to undergo upgrades in the future, while the F-15EX could perform homeland defense missions behind the frontlines. It has a larger weapons carriage capacity and will be optimized for different weapons and combat roles in the future.
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The ultimate capabilities of the new Boeing F-15EX
The F-15EX is a tactical fighter that offers superior payload, range, and speed. It builds on its air dominance legacy with advanced design and technology. With low operating costs, it offers four times the weapons payload, twice the fuel, range, and speed, making it a modern solution that global Air Forces can field within their schedule. It also:
Boasts an unparalleled weapons capacity, shooting from a longer range.
A next-generation weapon system uses innovative electronic warfare tools.
Penetrate in highly contested environments while maintaining a payload.
Enhancing next-generation radars, sensors, and networking capabilities.
Photo: Boeing
The EX Advanced variant features more powerful General Electric F100-PW-229 turbofans with afterburners, a digital fly-by-wire system for aerobatic maneuvers, an all-glass display digital cockpit, an AESA radar, and weapon pylons. It is loaded with 12 air training missiles CATMs and ultimate systems such as BAE’s AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System EPAWSS.
Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying
The aircraft has a top speed of Mach 2.5, a ceiling of 60,000 ft, an empty weight of 14,500 kg, and a maximum take-off weight of 37,000 kg. Its combat radius is 854 nautical miles, with a 12 air-to-air missile loadout and a ferry range of 3,000 nautical miles.
It features conformal fuel tanks CFTs for all of its aircraft. Each pair of CFTs adds 10,000 lb of fuel per aircraft, almost double the aircraft’s internal fuel load, a key advantage for United States Air Force operations over the fast Indo-Pacific region.
The Eagle II’s rising demand
Poland recently requested 32 new Eagles. Additional conflicts also increased countries’ demand. Israel has submitted a purchase request for 50 Eagles II, and Egypt has submitted a purchase request for an F-15. Indonesia signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing for up to 24 F-15IDNs. And, of course, the US Air Force is also at the top of the list, ordering 102.
Photo: Boeing
Korea and Japan
On November 19, 2024, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale FMS to South Korea to upgrade its F-15K Slam Eagle fleet, estimated to cost $6.2 billion. The package follows the decision in 2022 to launch an upgrade program for the aircraft. The Slam Eagles are the mainstay of the Republic of Korea Air Force’s multirole missions, with a particular ‘heavy hitting’ long-range strike role.
Photo: Sergeant Maria A. Noyola | DVIDS
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration DAPA approved the launch of an upgrade program planned to run from 2024 to 2034. The upgrades include 96 Advanced Display Core Processor II mission system computers, 70 AN/APG-82(v)1 Active Electronically Scanned Arrays AESA radars, 70 AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System EPAWSS electronic warfare suites, and 70 AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems CMWS.
Photo: Tsgt Michael Ammons | The US National Archives
Japan is the first Asian nation to upgrade its F-15 fighter jets, with Boeing and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under contract to modernize 68 F-15Js. The jets will receive the same radar, mission computer, and electronic warfare suite as Korea and the capability to fire weapons like the JASSM-ER standoff missile.
The Arabian Gulf operators
The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 211 Eagles with different variants of F-15C/S/SA and is looking to upgrade the older variants, as the Advanced Models are 84 SAs.
Photo: Ian Abbott | Flickr
The Qatari Emiri Air Force EX, called the F-15QA Ababil, received 33 and ordered 36 more. The F-15QA fighter, the most advanced jet manufactured, successfully completed its first flight on April 14, 2020, during a 90-minute mission from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.
Ababil’s name is also called after the Iranian HESA Ababil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle UAV. ✕ Remove Ads
The US government approved the sale of 72 F-15 fighters to join Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for $21.1 billion. Qatar requested the unmatched EX variant to increase its combat strength after the blockade/boycott and deterioration of ties with the Arab League between 2017 and 2021.
Photo: José Luis Celada Euba | Flickr
The F-15QA underwent multiple flight demonstrations at the Dubai International Air Show 2023 and the UK RIAT and Farnborough Air Show 2024. On November 21, 2024, a newer one was also seen flying near St Louis, Missouri, US, for Boeing flight testing.
“The advanced F-15QA not only offers game changing capabilities but is also built using advanced manufacturing processes which make the jet more efficient to manufacture. That’s success for the (aircraft),