The name was revealed in a rollout ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on April 7, 2021.
“Undefeated in aerial combat, the F-15 Eagle epitomized air superiority in the minds of our enemies, allies, and the American people for over 45 years, but it was not meant to fly forever. We heard the demand signal from our warfighters,” United States Air Force top acquisition official Lt. Gen. Duke Richardson said. “I’m pleased to say we’ve responded boldly and decisively, with a proven platform that’s modernized and optimized to maintain air superiority now and into the future.”
The jet, shown off at the ceremony, was delivered to the base in March 2021. It is the first pre-production aircraft of this type, and the first one to be transferred to the military for operational testing.
Boeing F-15EX, the latest version of the fighter jet serving with the military since the 70s, is supposed to replace the older C and D models and supplement the Air Force’s expensive 5th generation jets.
It is based on the Qatari variant F-15QA and features all-round technological improvements, including upgraded radar, avionics and weapon systems.
The USAF plans to acquire 144 Eagle IIs, while eight pre-production were ordered so far