Nichols Martin
Eglin Air Force Base has received an early delivery of the second F-15EX aircraft manufactured by a Boeing-led industry team.
The new F-15EX, the intended replacement for the F-15C fighter jet, features a new digital infrastructure, modern payload and updates for boosted range and speed, Boeing said Wednesday.
The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $22.9 billion contract in July 2020 to develop and produce 200 units of the F-15EX model.
The service plans to assign initial F-15EX aircraft to installations in Oregon and Florida. The first two F-15EX units will undergo testing together at Eglin AFB.
“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,” said Prat Kumar, vice president and F-15 program manager at Boeing.
The second unit's delivery follows the first one's arrival in March.
