Boeing ready to deliver developmental F-15EX jet fighters to Air Force as early as 2020
ST. LOUIS – The Boeing Co. is ready to deliver at least two developmental versions of the F-15EX jet fighter to the U.S. Air Force as soon as 2020. Flight global reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
15 May 2019 -- Boeing officials say the similarities of the military aircraft to the Advanced F-15 -- a fighter it is producing for Qatar and Saudi Arabia -- means it can be turned out quickly from Boeing's active production line.
The proclamation comes as the House Appropriations defense subcommittee included $986 million in a draft 2020 budget for eight F-15EX aircraft to replace aging F-15C/D jet fighters.
The F-15EX is a slightly modified version of the Advanced F-15, which is not in the Air Force inventory. The service is interested in the fighter because its $29,000 per flight hour cost is cheaper than the Lockheed Martin F-35. Also, about 70 percent of the Air Force's existing inventory of F-15 spare parts already works on the F-15EX, and switching squadrons to the aircraft would be faster.
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics