US Air Force will increase procurement of advanced upgraded F-15EX Eagle II fighters to carry hypersonic weapons by a third

The draft US Air Force budget calls for an increase in purchases of F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. The service has decided to buy more of the upgraded aircraft than had been planned just a few days ago.

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The US Air Force originally wanted to order 144 fourth-generation F-15EX Eagle II fighters. Over time, the service rejected 64 planes. Experts called this reduction unjustified and called for abandoning the F-15EX altogether, as this number is insufficient for effective integration into combat aviation.

Now the U.S. Air Force though to purchase 104 aircraft. And 24 of the fighters are due to enter service in fiscal year 2024, which begins on October 1. The F-15EX Eagle II will replace the 40-year-old F-15 C/D Eagle, which is assigned to USAF National Guard units.

The F-15EX Eagle II was introduced in 2018 and is the latest version of the Eagle. Last year it was able to launch an air-to-air missile for the first time. In the future, the upgraded fighter will become a hypersonic weapon carrier.

Source: The Drive