Latest news with #F-15Es
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
F-15E Strike Eagles To Leave England For Good
The U.S. Air Force is planning to return its F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath in England and consolidate its fleet stateside. Currently, the F-15Es in the United Kingdom are the only permanently forward-deployed examples of the aircraft, which remain the service's first choice for a wide variety of critical missions around the globe. Confirmation of the plan to bring the two squadrons of F-15Es back from Lakenheath was provided yesterday by Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin. This came during a hearing on the Posture of the Department of the Air Force in Review of the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2026, held by the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Senator Theodore P. Budd of North Carolina asked Allvin about the plans for the Lakenheath Strike Eagles, in relation to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in the same state. This base is currently home to F-15E frontline and training squadrons under the 4th Fighter Wing. 'One thing that stuck out to me was the arrival of the F-35s at Lakenheath Air Base, and that once they are up and running, two Strike Eagle units will be returning stateside,' Budd said. 'Has a decision been made on where those aircraft will end up?' Allvin responded that a final decision on the relocation was still to be made, but confirmed that the two F-15E squadrons would be coming back to the United States. A timeline for the move was not provided. Allvin noted that the Lakenheath F-15Es are equipped with the significantly more powerful F100-PW-229 turbofans, in contrast to those at Seymour Johnson, which use the older Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engines. Of the 218 F-15Es in the Air Force inventory, 119 are powered by the Dash 220 turbofan engines that produce some 23,500 pounds of thrust each. The other 99 have the F100-PW-229s, each of which is rated at 29,000 pounds of thrust. Allvin further observed that Seymour Johnson 'will be critical to the F-15E and F-15EX community as far as the training unit and the operational unit for the E, so that certainly is an attractive landing spot right now.' The Air Force boss agreed with Budd's assessment that an influx of younger and more capable F-15E airframes to Seymour Johnson would be a good way of ensuring the futures of both the combat and training missions at the base. This would become even more relevant if the Air Force follows through with its aspiration to retire the F100-PW-220-powered jets, which it had previously planned to do by the end of Fiscal Year 2028. Regardless of where the Lakenheath F-15Es end up, it's significant that the Air Force is planning to remove these jets from England. Currently, Lakenheath is home to the 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons flying the F-15E. These squadrons each have a primary aircraft assigned (PAA) complement of 26 aircraft, although this is subject to some fluctuation. Under the 48th Fighter Wing, these operate alongside the 493rd and 495th Fighter Squadrons flying the F-35A, the first of the Air Force's stealth jets to be based in Europe. As well as being fitted with the -229 engines, Lakenheath's F-15Es have been at the front of the queue to receive a sophisticated new radar warning and electronic warfare suite, the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS, which you can read more about here. The first F-15E equipped with the advanced EPAWSS Electronic Warfare system takes off from San Antonio and heads home to the @ next-gen tech enhances pilot situational awareness and ensures the F-15 can tackle modern threats. — Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) January 17, 2025 EPAWSS is part of a rolling program of upgrades for the F-15E in recent years. Other work has included adding the Raytheon AN/APG-82 AESA radar, which is also integrated into the electronic warfare system as it is a highly capable electronic attack weapon in its own right. Certain niche capabilities have also been added to the jets, such as the AN/ASQ-236 Dragon's Eye radar pod that you can read about in this previous feature. New weapons and weapon configurations have also appeared, adding to the F-15E's versatility. Overall, however, there is still uncertainty about what the Air Force's Strike Eagle fleet might look like in the future. This time last year, TWZ reported on the effort of members of Congress to block Air Force plans to send more than half of its F-15E fleet to the boneyard in the coming years. The Air Force argues that it needs to retire its older F-15Es to help free up resources for its future modernization plans, but lawmakers have been concerned about dwindling numbers of available tactical aircraft if this were to happen. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, an annual defense policy bill, blocked the Air Force from retiring more than 68 F-15Es before the end of Fiscal Year 2029. Just last month, the F-15E was mentioned in proposed legislation put forward by Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The proposed spending plan includes $127.46 million 'to prevent the retirement of F-15E aircraft,' with the exception of 'individual F-15E aircraft that the Secretary of the Air Force determines, on a case by case basis, to be no longer mission capable and uneconomical to repair because of aircraft accidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation and non-airworthiness status of certain aircraft.' In the meantime, the F-15E remains a highly prized asset, selected for a variety of high-profile operational missions, a fact underlined in April 2024 when the aircraft shot down more than 70 Iranian drones heading for Israel. Moreover, the Lakenheath F-15E fleet, in particular, has been something of an on-call force for operations throughout Europe and the Middle East. High-profile activities have included everything from long-range strikes in Libya to supporting constant operations in Syria. TWZ has reached out to the 48th Fighter Wing for more details about its future plans, although the most likely option would appear to be the replacement of the F-15Es with additional F-35As. However, it's unclear if these would be fielded in the form of a like-for-like replacement in both squadrons, to maintain the current four-squadron structure. It's also worth bearing in mind that the plans to relocate F-15Es from England are also dependent on being able to deliver and sustain combat-capable F-35As over the next decade, something that Senator Budd referred to yesterday. As we have reported in the past, there have been some significant problems in realizing this goal. Due to problems with the aircraft's critical Tech Refresh 3 software, or TR-3, production deliveries of the F-35 were suspended for around a year. In July 2024, it was confirmed that deliveries of the stealth fighters would resume 'in the near future,' clearing a backlog of jets sitting in storage, although the TR-3 would still only be installed in what's described as a 'truncated' form. This raises questions about when the F-35 will actually be able to make full use of the long-awaited Block 4 improvements that this software underpins. Concerns with getting fully capable F-35As online and in sufficient numbers have, in the past, seen Congress oppose Air Force plans to retire combat aircraft, and the relocation of F-15Es from Lakenheath to the United States could still face resistance. Nevertheless, the F-35A is now firmly embedded at Lakenheath, where it seems they will be provided with forward-deployed B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs. Earlier this year, we reported on new evidence of construction work on protective shelters at the base, pointing to the fact that the United States is poised to bring nuclear bombs back to the United Kingdom after nearly two decades. When combined with the stealthy F-35A, the B61-12 is increasingly being viewed as a strategic weapons-delivery system, as well as being a tactical strike asset, and would be a significant advance over the F-15E in the same role. The F-35As could possibly be paired with Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) in the coming years, although at this stage, these drones are not set to be a direct replacement for crewed aircraft, especially not the two-seat F-15E. The F-15EX could be another option to replace F-15Es at Lakenheath, and an argument could be made that the combination of F-35A and F-15EX would be the optimum way of ensuring dominance in air superiority and air-to-ground, and meeting the demand of high-tempo deployments. While planned F-15EX numbers have fluctuated, the Air Force most recently said it wants to buy 98 F-15EX aircraft. A fleet of 98 F-15EX aircraft is just about sufficient for five operational squadrons of 18 aircraft, plus a handful of training and test aircraft. Air National Guard units in California, Louisiana, Michigan, and Oregon are all slated to get the F-15EX. With plans to field the F-15EX with the active-duty Air Force at Kadena Air Base in Japan, current numbers wouldn't support their fielding at Lakenheath, too. While the future shape of the U.S. Air Force's F-15E fleet is still to be determined, and with the service clearly still working out where it should be based, it seems that it's now very much set on removing its Strike Eagles from Lakenheath. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Additional F-15E Strike Eagles Arrive In Diego Garcia
The U.S. Air Force has increased the number of F-15s sent to Diego Garcia to provide force protection, a U.S. defense official has confirmed to The War Zone. The fighters are there to defend the island and the bomber contingent that has called it home for nearly two months now Amid rising tensions with Iran. During America's accelerated bombing campaign of the Houthis in Yemen, B-2s arrived at Diego Garcia and have since been replaced by B-52s. You can read more about the initial arrival of the F-15s and why they were sent there in our exclusive story here. 'There are now six F-15Es on the island,' said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details. The official's comments are in line with new satellite imagery reviewed by The War Zone. Last week, we were the first to report on the arrival of F-15s on the remote island. There were four Strike Eagles visible on Diego Garcia when we first noted fighters at the base in an archived Planet Labs satellite image of the island taken on May 16, 2025. Low resolution imagery taken today indicated that at least two more had arrived. While the official declined to say where the jets came from, open source trackers state the jets arrived from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, located nearly 4,400 miles from Diego Garcia. May16 #KC135's #AE0597 #AE0240 #AE04BA (#RAMEN41-43?) departed Kadena, likely with more "SJ" #F15's. Two tankers rtb later, but #AE0240 seems to have continued to Diego Garcia and was joined by KC135 #AE0594 #RAMEN46 from Diego Garcia — Sir Listenalot (@SirListenalot) May 18, 2025 Last month, a contingent of F-15Es from the 336th Fighter Squadron (FS) at Seymour Johnson Air Force in North Carolina forward-deployed to Kadena. Officials at Seymour Johnson declined to comment on whether the Strike Eagles on Diego Garcia are from the 336th FS. However, their forward presence at Kadena would facilitate an ACE force protection mission to a remote island like the one currently underway. 'As the Keystone of the Pacific, Kadena is a pivotal hub for Agile Combat Employment (ACE),' the Air Force wrote in a press release last month announcing the arrival of jets from the 336th, also known as the Rocketeers. 'The 18th Wing will continue to receive rotational units that strengthen capabilities, such as ACE, and project combat power in concert with allies and partners.' ACE is a term that currently refers to a set of concepts for distributed and disaggregated operations centered heavily on short notice and otherwise irregular deployments, often to remote, austere, or otherwise non-traditional locales. As we have previously noted, 'Diego Garcia has long been a highly strategic operating location for the U.S. military. Beyond its large airfield that sits in the center of the Indian Ocean, it plays many roles for the Department of Defense, including hosting Space Force operations, serving as a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and its lagoon provides shelter for a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron.' Historically, Diego Garcia's remote location has served as a natural barrier to attack by non-near-peer potential adversaries like Iran. However, the threats have been evolving — particularly in the form of long-range attack drones and missiles — and The War Zone previously raised the question of whether fighters like Strike Eagles would be needed to protect the island and its bomber guests. The multi-role F-15Es are particularly well-suited for that role. You can read more about this in our story here. In addition to the Strike Eagles, The War Zone also noted that there were four B-52H bombers, five KC-135 tankers, a C-17 cargo plane, and a white-colored airliner with orange nacelles — most likely an SAS airlines personnel transport flight seen in the image taken May 16. The low-resolution image we saw today shows the B-52s are still there, along with three KC-135s and the C-17, as well as the six fighters. Earlier, the island gained a lot of attention for hosting an unusually large force of six B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that began arriving in March for a clear show of force aimed primarily at Iran. The B-2s subsequently conducted strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen. For a short period, there were 10 U.S. Air Force bombers on Diego Garcia, however, the B-2s began leaving about May 9th. Earlier today, Whiteman Air Force Base posted a video of the Spirits returning. 'You can't fight what you can't see,' Whiteman said on X. '#B2Spirit stealth bombers returned home to Whiteman AFB from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.' You can't fight what you can't see #B2Spirit stealth bombers returned home to Whiteman AFB from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.@US_STRATCOM@AFGlobalStrike@ — Whiteman AFB (@Whiteman_AFB) May 19, 2025 It is unknown if additional Strike Eagles will be headed to Diego Garcia or how long the ones now there will remain. We will provide updates when warranted. Contact the author: howard@
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
US military stages biggest EVER ‘elephant walk' with supersonic jets, helicopters & drones in show of force to China
STRENGTH & STEEL US military stages biggest EVER 'elephant walk' with supersonic jets, helicopters & drones in show of force to China Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE US has staged its biggest military attack formation ever in the South China Sea region - showcasing supersonic stealth jets, attack helicopters and military drones. The show of power, dubbed "Elephant Walk", was formed using 53 US military aircraft and was put up in a display at the US military base in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps, along with U.S. Army Patriot missile batteries line up on the runway for an elephant walk Credit: Public Affairs Journeyman / Snr Airman Tyley Meyer 8 The show of power, dubbed "Elephant Walk", was formed using 53 US military aircraft Credit: Public Affairs Journeyman / Snr Airman Tyley Meyer 8 Pictures of the formation, which was put up just 400miles off the coast of China, captured multiple US fighter jets in a tight formation. They were put behind advanced military choppers and were flanked by air defence systems on both sides. Attack drones and naval aircraft were a part of the formation, while larger aircraft were staged behind the fighter jets' formation. The military spectacle featured a wide array of advanced military aircraft, including 24 US Air Force F-35As, eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es, six HH-60 Jolly Green IIs choppers. Two MQ-9 Reapers, two MC-130J Commando IIS and six KC-135 Stratotankers were also present. The formation was guarded by two US Army MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems. US military's 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said: An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready. Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said the Air Force's ability to 'project airpower' alongside its allies 'demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.' The military formation is understood to be one of the largest in recent history. In 2020, a 52-aircraft formation was put up for display at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. China's Taiwan invasion plan could trigger WW3 if US gets involved, expert warns It comes after a top US admiral has warned that China will soon be able to defeat the US in a war over Taiwan. The chilling warning comes amid fears that China is preparing for a full-scale invasion of the island as it masses warships and submarines. Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, raised the alarm at the McCain Institute's annual Sedona Forum in Arizona on Friday. The admiral said that while the US would defeat China in a war over Taiwan now, it may soon lose its advantage, as reported by the Financial Times. Paparo said: 'The United States will prevail in the conflict as it stands now, with the force that we have right now.' But he added: 'Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory.' China has ramped up its production of weapons including warships and submarines - and the US doesn't seem to be able to keep up. According to Paparo, for every 1.8 warships made in the US each year China builds an impressive six. 8 China's aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill Credit: Reuters 8 China's Nanchang Q-5 'Fantans' fighter jets Credit: Alamy 8 And for every 1.4 submarines made in the US, it builds two. The warning comes as China continues to expand its military exercises around Taiwan, as fears of an invasion mount. Paparo fuelled fears of an attack, saying that Beijing is rehearsing "the full spectrum of military operations" - from a direct invasion of the island to a naval blockade. This comes as Taiwan reported at least 19 Chinese warships as well as the large Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling nearby last month. When asked whether the US would support military intervention in Taiwan, he responded: 'A lesson in history is that people are always saying America will never get in a fight, but it's not the track record.' But if China continues to ramp up its weapons production the US may not be able to protect the island. Why does China want to invade Taiwan? TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing's control. The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. Taiwan sits in the so-called "first island chain", which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington's foreign policy in the region. This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West. And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China's enemy if it means keeping its independence. Taiwan's economy is another factor in China's desperation to reclaim the land. If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world's electronics being made in Taiwan. This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy. China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation. And China may have more weapons than previously thought. Google Maps images exposed China's secret submarine fleet back in April. The shocking pictures showed six nuke boats massed at a Chinese base. These included two of the deadly Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A and one chillingly unidentified submarine. The base - dubbed the First Submarine Base - is located 18km east of Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, meaning there's easy access to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Australian independent naval analyst Alex Luck posted the shocking images to X. In the post, he said that five nuclear-powered subs seen on the base were conventionally armed. 8 Tensions between China and neighbouring Taiwan have soared in recent years as the threat of war looms Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
US military stages biggest EVER ‘elephant walk' with supersonic jets, helicopters & drones in show of force to China
THE US has staged its biggest military attack formation ever in the South China Sea region - showcasing supersonic stealth jets, attack helicopters and military drones. The show of power, dubbed "Elephant Walk", was formed using 53 US military aircraft and was put up in a display at th e US military base in Kadena Air Base in Okinawa , Japan. Advertisement 8 U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps, along with U.S. Army Patriot missile batteries line up on the runway for an elephant walk Credit: Public Affairs Journeyman / Snr Airman Tyley Meyer 8 The show of power, dubbed "Elephant Walk", was formed using 53 US military aircraft Credit: Public Affairs Journeyman / Snr Airman Tyley Meyer 8 Pictures of the formation, which was put up just 400miles off the coast of China, captured multiple They were put behind Attack drones and naval aircraft were a part of the formation, while larger aircraft were staged behind the fighter jets' formation. The military spectacle featured a wide array of advanced military aircraft, including 24 US Air Force F-35As, eight U.S. Air Force F-15Es, six HH-60 Jolly Green IIs choppers. Advertisement Two MQ-9 Reapers, two MC-130J Commando IIS and six KC-135 Stratotankers were also present. The formation was guarded by two US Army MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems. US military's 18th Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant Brandon Wolfgang said: An elephant walk like this sends a message you can't ignore—it shows our Airmen, allies, and adversaries that we're united, capable, and ready. Meanwhile, 18th Wing Commander Brigadier General Nicholas Evans said the Air Force's ability to 'project airpower' alongside its allies 'demonstrates our commitment to the alliance with Japan and to maintaining stability across the Indo-Pacific.' Advertisement Most read in The US Sun The military formation is understood to be one of the largest in recent history. In 2020, a 52-aircraft formation was put up for display at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. China's Taiwan invasion plan could trigger WW3 if US gets involved, expert warns It comes after a top US admiral has warned that The chilling warning comes amid fears that Advertisement Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Paparo, raised the alarm at the McCain Institute's annual Sedona Forum in The admiral said that while the US would defeat Paparo said: 'The But he added: 'Our trajectory on . . . really every force element that is salient is a bad trajectory.' Advertisement China has ramped up its production of weapons including warships and submarines - and the US doesn't seem to be able to keep up. According to Paparo, for every 1.8 warships made in the US each year China builds an impressive six. 8 China's aircraft carrier Liaoning takes part in a military drill Credit: Reuters 8 China's Nanchang Q-5 'Fantans' fighter jets Credit: Alamy Advertisement 8 And for every 1.4 submarines made in the US, it builds two. The warning comes as China continues to expand its military exercises around Taiwan, as fears of an invasion mount. Paparo fuelled fears of an attack, saying that Advertisement This comes as Taiwan reported at least 19 Chinese warships as well as the large Shandong aircraft carrier patrolling nearby last month. When asked whether the US would support military intervention in Taiwan, he responded: 'A lesson in But if China continues to ramp up its weapons production the US may not be able to protect the island. Why does China want to invade Taiwan? TAIWAN insists it is an independent nation after splitting from mainland China amid civil war in 1949. But China claims Taiwan remains a part of its territory with which it must eventually be reunified - and has not ruled out the use of force to take the island and place it under Beijing's control. The island, which is roughly 100 miles from the coast of south-east China, sees itself as distinct from the Chinese mainland, with its own constitution and democratically-elected leaders. Taiwan sits in the so-called "first island chain", which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to Washington's foreign policy in the region. This also puts it in an ideal situation to slow a Chinese attack on the West. And with tensions between the two nations high, Taiwan is likely to aid China's enemy if it means keeping its independence. Taiwan's economy is another factor in China's desperation to reclaim the land. If China takes the island, it could be freer to project power in the western Pacific and rival the US, thanks to much of the world's electronics being made in Taiwan. This would allow Beijing to have control over an industry that drives the global economy. China insists that its intentions are peaceful, but President Xi Jinping has also used threats towards the small island nation. And China may have more weapons than previously thought. Advertisement The shocking pictures showed six nuke boats massed at a Chinese base. These included two of the deadly Type 091 submarines, two Type 093A and one chillingly unidentified submarine. The base - dubbed the First Submarine Base - is located 18km east of Qingdao in the Yellow Sea, meaning there's easy access to the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun Australian independent naval analyst Alex Luck posted the shocking images to X. In the post, he said that five nuclear-powered subs seen on the base were conventionally armed. 8 Tensions between China and neighbouring Taiwan have soared in recent years as the threat of war looms Credit: Getty 8 Taiwanese tanks parade the streets in Taipei Credit: AFP Advertisement
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
F-15 Eagles Win Big In Supersized Defense Spending Bill
Tactical airpower, and specifically the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II, are big beneficiaries of recently proposed legislation put forward by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. Of the roughly $150 billion in potential extra investments into defense, the spending package includes $7.2 billion set aside for tactical aircraft procurement and modernization. It should be noted that the Democrats still have the opportunity to amend the bill before it is sent to the House Budget Committee, although the packaging of the deal under the 'reconciliation' process is designed to speed its progress and avoid a filibuster. Of the $7.2 billion for tactical airpower, the biggest winner is the F-15EX, with this program earmarked to get an additional $3.1 billion 'to increase production.' The F-15EX, which at this stage of its career is primarily an air superiority platform, was approved for full-rate production in June of last year. Most recently, the Air Force had said it wants to buy 98 F-15EX aircraft, although the numbers have been subject to various changes throughout the life of the program. The 98-aircraft fleet is just about sufficient for five operational squadrons of 18 aircraft, plus a handful of training and test aircraft. Previously, there were plans to cap the number of F-15EXs at 144 jets. We have reached out to the Air Force for clarity on the wording in the bill, since it's not immediately clear if the funds allocated are for additional aircraft production, beyond the 98, or whether they will be used to accelerate production of the aircraft already in the program of record. The unit cost of an F-15EX has been pegged at between $90 and $95 million in recent years. If the money in question is strictly for more airframes, it would buy between 32 and 34 jets, but funds for additional personnel and infrastructure would also have to come from other sources. In addition to being good news for the F-15EX, the proposed spending plan includes $127.46 million 'to prevent the retirement of F–15E aircraft.' What exactly this entails is immediately clear, as the annual defense policy bill, or National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), for the 2025 Fiscal Year, which was signed into law in December 2024, already blocked the retirement of any F-15Es Strike Eagles until October 1, 2027, at the earliest. That came in response to an Air Force plan to retire 119 of its 281 F-15Es, or roughly half of the Strike Eagle fleet, by Fiscal Year 2028, which quickly proved to be controversial, to say the least. The Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA does make exceptions for 'individual F-15E aircraft that the Secretary of the Air Force determines, on a case by case basis, to be no longer mission capable and uneconomical to repair because of aircraft accidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation and non-airworthiness status of certain aircraft.' Additional funding could help the Air Force pay to maintain the F-15Es it is now legally required to keep in inventory, or avoid divesting individual jets it might otherwise decide are too costly to keep flying. It might also allow the service to upgrade and sustain the aircraft beyond 2027. The F-15Es that had been on the chopping block were the surviving examples powered by the older Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E turbofan engines, with the remaining 99 aircraft being equipped with more powerful F100-PW-229s. As far as the Air Force is concerned, it needs to retire older F-15Es to help free up resources for its future modernization plans, but lawmakers have been concerned about dwindling numbers of available tactical aircraft if this were to happen. At the same time, the F-15Es are arguably the Air Force's most in-demand tactical jets thanks to their highly desirable blend of speed, range, payload capacity, crew size, and other capabilities. Furthermore, with the F-15EX entering service primarily in the single-pilot air-to-air role, there's no like-for-like replacement in the pipeline. In the meantime, work continues to upgrade the F-15E, with the most significant recent development involving the installation of a sophisticated new radar warning and electronic warfare suite, the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS, which you can read more about here. Aside from funds for the F-15EX — the Air Force's newest in-service fighter — and the well-established F-15E, the newly proposed spending package also adds funds for next-generation airpower programs. Both the F-47 crewed sixth-generation fighter and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone program get more funds to accelerate development and production: $678 million and $400 million, respectively. The Navy's sixth-generation fighter, the F/A-XX, also gets a boost from lawmakers, with another $500 million to accelerate that program. In terms of older assets, the bill on the table now also allocates just over $361 million to prevent the retirement of older block F-22s. Like the F-15E, the F-22 has long been threatened with axing a portion of its fleet as the Air Force seeks to prioritize other programs. In the past, the Air Force has argued that upgrading its 32 older Block 20 F-22s — almost a fifth of the current Raptor fleet — would be prohibitively expensive, but this proposal has been met with notable pushback. Last summer, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) made clear its concerns about the Air Force's plans to discard those older F-22s in a report that we discussed at the time. Beyond tactical jets, the proposed legislation includes $4.5 billion to help accelerate the B-21 Raider stealth bomber program. There has been growing talk in recent months about potentially increasing purchases of the bombers beyond the current program of record for 100 aircraft. This also follows Northrop Grumman's disclosure earlier this month of a $477 million loss on the B-21, which was described as 'largely relating to higher manufacturing costs.' The company announced a nearly $1.2 billion loss on the Radier last year, which was blamed on a combination of 'macroeconomic disruptions' and 'higher [than] projected manufacturing costs.' Elsewhere, the bill includes $440 million to increase C-130J production and $474 million to increase EA-37B Compass Call production. Finally, lawmakers propose to allocate $160 million to accelerate nacelle improvements for the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Returning to the F-15EX and F-15E portions of the reconciliation bill, there remain questions about exactly how these funds will be used. In particular, there is a lack of clarity about F-15EX production numbers and how long a portion of the F-15E fleet will be protected from retirement. Overall, however, lawmakers have firmly made their position clear when it comes to the continued utility of the two closely related tactical air assets. Contact the author: thomas@
