WASHINGTON - Earlier this week the new Boeing F-15EX fighter jet completed its first flight, paving the way for the early delivery of the first two jets to the United States Air Force later this quarter. The ninety-minute test flight was conducted from St. Louis Lambert International Airport with Boeing F-15 Chief Test Pilot Matt Giese at the controls, Peter Suciu reports for The National Interest. Continue reading original article.
The Intelligent Aerospace take:
February 8, 2021 - “Today’s successful flight proves the jet’s safety and readiness to join our nation’s fighter fleet,” said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager. “Our workforce is excited to build a modern fighter aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. Our customer can feel confident in its decision to invest in this platform that is capable of incorporating the latest advanced battle management systems, sensors and weapons due to the jet’s digital airframe design and open mission systems architecture.”
The fighter’s digital backbone means it can serve as a testbed for future technology insertion, a key capability for the Air Force. Modern variants of the F-15 also include fly-by-wire flight controls, an all-new digital cockpit, modern AESA radar and the ADCP-II, the world's fastest mission computer. The F-15EX, the most advanced version to date, features the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System electronic warfare system to improve mission effectiveness and survivability for operators.
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Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace
