Tuesday, February 5, 2019

More Details Emerge On The F-15X

Some information about the proposed F-15 Advanced. The F-15X will have near identical features but will be offered in single and two seat configurations. Boeing

Warzone/The Drive: F-15X Will Come In Two Variants, And No, It Won't Cost $100M Per Copy

We have new details about the F-15X and the USAF's motivation for making a dramatic institutional shift to procure the proven fighters.

Since breaking the F-15X story last July, pretty much everything our original exposé discussed has come true. After many discounted that original report, last December Bloomberg reported that the F-15X would indeed appear as a procurement program of record for the Pentagon's 2020 budget proposal, which is due to be released at any time. Comments by heads of the USAF and industry have since confirmed this eventuality. Still, that report was thin on details, leading to quite a bit of confusion about what would be included in the USAF's initial investment into the F-15X and what was exactly planned for the program overall. With that in mind, we have new details that answer some of these questions and paint a finer picture of what the F-15X will look like when it rolls off the production line, in one of two distinct forms, as well as what the new Eagle variant will mean for the United States Air Force.

Read more ....

Update #1: The Air Force could buy improved F-15 fighters (Defense News)
Update #2: US Air Force Chief Confirms Interest in Improved F-15X (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: F-35 manufacturer Lockheed has responded to this interest in the F-15X program .... Lockheed CEO: Boeing’s F-15X won’t disrupt F-35 program (Defense News).

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This makes so much sense to do, I have to doubt the govt. will do it.
Note this isn't a shocker as the Navy is doing the same, its buying F-18's right now in bulk while it slowly ramps up F-35C production. Those F-18's are upgraded and are expected to last for over 20 years. What the AF is doing that is smart is leveraging the R&D that Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Singapore have done to make a better F-15. It's a air to air missile truck with unmatched range and weapons carrying capacity. To work with the F-35 and F-22's all it will need is a longer range AAM, something out to 200 miles. 16-24 of those under wing with the F-35 telling it were to shoot, that keeps the F-15 relevant.