U.S. Air Force Receives First F-15EX Eagle Fighter

Initial production fighters are assigned to the U.S. Air Force's Eglin base for an accelerated test program to get the new Eagle into service in 2024/25.

EX1—the Air Force’s first F-15EX—is conducting local pilot familiarization sorties from Eglin prior to the start of trials work. An external difference between the EX and other U.S. Air Force Eagle versions are the rounded-profile nozzles of the General Electric F110 turbofans, which had hitherto only powered export variants. (Photo: U.S. Air Force)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

March 12, 2021

Boeing has formally handed over the first example of the F-15EX new-generation Eagle fighter to the U.S. Air Force. The acceptance was conducted at Boeing’s St. Louis factory on March 10, and comes shortly after the advanced Eagle variant’s first flight in February.

“This is a big moment for the Air Force,” said Colonel Sean Dorey, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center F-15EX program manager. “With its large weapons capacity, digital backbone and open architecture, the F-15EX will be a key element of our tactical fighter fleet and complement fifth-generation assets. In addition, it’s capable of carrying hypersonic weapons, giving it a niche role in future near-peer conflicts.”

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