On April 21, 2021, Boeing announced the delivery of the second F-15EX fighter jet to the United States Air Force (USAF).
The aircraft was delivered on April 20, which – according to the company – is earlier than the contract requirement.
Both jets of this type are currently undergoing testing at Eglin Air Force base, California. The first one was delivered in March and unveiled at a grand ceremony in early April.
“Moving from contract award to delivery in a matter of months enables the U.S. Air Force to get a head start on flight testing and demonstrates our commitment to exceeding expectations,” Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager, is quoted in Boeing’s press release.
F-15EX Eagle II is the latest model of USAF’s long-serving fighter jet. It has upgraded avionics, data links, and weapon systems, and is intended to both replace the aging F-15C and be a cheaper alternative to costly 5th generation fighter jets, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
USAF has ordered eight pre-production F-15EX jets and plans to acquire up to 144 of them in the future.
The aircraft has also been offered to India and its Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program