F-15X: USAF Seems Interested

eagle3000 · by **eagle3000** » 14 Jul 2020, 02:40

Well the only reason to change engines if you upgrade to advanced Eagle, today, is... if you're flying F100-229s.

The only scenario that comes to mind where PW could profit from an engine change (if the F100 would be integrated) is the first batch of Korean F-15K. I don't think any of the other operators have reasons to switch to F100s.

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 14 Jul 2020, 03:10

sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:TEG, I've been commenting about that issue for a while now. So little is common between an F-15E and an EX that the Mx new tooling needs will be huge.

Why would you want to invest in more tooling for the F-15EX. When the F-35 is clearly the future...

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 14 Jul 2020, 03:15

sferrin wrote:
South Korea, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all operate, or will be doing so, advanced F-15s.

If, you include just the advance versions the numbers are modest.....

Corsair1963 · by **Corsair1963** » 14 Jul 2020, 03:25

wrightwing wrote:
Israeli F-15s would need to be included, too.

Upgrading older models of the Strike Eagle wouldn't be the same....

Really, if we want to talk about "Advanced Eagles". We would be referring to the F-15SA, F-15QA, F-15IA*, and F-15EX wouldn't we???

*F-15IA order is pending...

hythelday · by **hythelday** » 14 Jul 2020, 04:29

Boeing lands the first order of the F-15EX
By Valerie Insinna, July 14, 2020

https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/07 ... ew-f-15ex/

The Air Force has officially placed an order for its first batch of F-15EXs, awarding Boeing a contract on Monday that puts a ceiling value for the entire program close to $23 billion.

...

Along with the first eight F-15EXs, which were approved in the fiscal year 2020 budget, the Air Force has requested 12 F-15EXs in FY21 and plans to ask for 64 jets from FY22 to FY25. The service could buy as many as 144 aircraft, according to Boeing.

weasel1962 · by **weasel1962** » 14 Jul 2020, 05:24

Reading the fine print.

https://boeing.mediaroom.com/2020-07-13 ... ighter-Jet

The U.S. Air Force is also announcing the overall Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract with a ceiling value of nearly $23 billion for F-15EX.

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contra ... e/2272447/

The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $22,890,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8634-20-D-2704). The first delivery order has been awarded as an undefinitized contract action with a total not-to-exceed value, including options, of $1,192,215,413. It is a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price effort for the F-15EX system. This delivery order (FA8634-20-F-0022) provides for design, development, integration, manufacturing, test, verification, certification, delivery, sustainment and modification of F-15EX aircraft, as well as spares, support equipment, training materials, technical data and technical support. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri; and at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $248,224,746; and fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $53,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

marauder2048 · by **marauder2048** » 14 Jul 2020, 05:30

eagle3000 wrote:Well the only reason to change engines if you upgrade to advanced Eagle, today, is... if you're flying F100-229s.

The only scenario that comes to mind where PW could profit from an engine change (if the F100 would be integrated) is the first batch of Korean F-15K. I don't think any of the other operators have reasons to switch to F100s.

So even if the addressable market only includes the Israelis, the South Koreans and the USAF that's still 650+
engines when you assume a typical spares ratio.

weasel1962 · by **weasel1962** » 14 Jul 2020, 05:49

Potentially UAE. Their Mirage 2000 are due for replacement.

huggy · by **huggy** » 14 Jul 2020, 07:44

madrat wrote: U-2 is no longer necessary,...

Hahaha! Hilarious!!

Tell that to the COCOM's, and see if you can educate them.

So please... tell me what the RQ-4 (or another platform) does so well that the U-2 isn't needed any longer.

How much payload does the RQ-4 carry? How much more electrical power can they generate for their sensor payloads?

Please... I'm dying to hear this.

marauder2048 · by **marauder2048** » 14 Jul 2020, 08:08

huggy wrote:
madrat wrote: U-2 is no longer necessary,...

Hahaha! Hilarious!!

Tell that to the COCOM's, and see if you can educate them.

So please... tell me what the RQ-4 (or another platform) does so well that the U-2 isn't needed any longer.

How much payload does the RQ-4 carry? How much more electrical power can they generate for their sensor payloads?

Please... I'm dying to hear this.

I'll take "Belated Replies to Off Topic Posts" for 1000 please, Alex.

jetblast16 · by **jetblast16** » 14 Jul 2020, 14:11

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... -air-force

krieger22 · by **krieger22** » 14 Jul 2020, 15:03

NOTE: There is conflicting information about whether the photo at the top of this story is actually of an F-15EX. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the same photograph in their report with the following caption: "F-15EX decals affixed to F-15QA4 jet in Building 67, Final Assembly_St. Louis, MO. Purpose of the photo is to show aircraft readiness to our USAF customer (F-15EX contract award). MSF20-0024 Series."

The metadata I saw from the photo as hosted on the USAF site and linked to in their release actually stated this. It seems rather implausible that two people would miss what I did not.

marauder2048 · by **marauder2048** » 14 Jul 2020, 17:27

krieger22 wrote:
NOTE: There is conflicting information about whether the photo at the top of this story is actually of an F-15EX. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the same photograph in their report with the following caption: "F-15EX decals affixed to F-15QA4 jet in Building 67, Final Assembly_St. Louis, MO. Purpose of the photo is to show aircraft readiness to our USAF customer (F-15EX contract award). MSF20-0024 Series."

The metadata I saw from the photo as hosted on the USAF site and linked to in their release actually stated this. It seems rather implausible that two people would miss what I did not.

Makes perfect sense given that they had talked about earlier delivery based on the Qataris giving up a slot.

zerion · by **zerion** » 14 Jul 2020, 23:53

NOTE 2: Boeing has confirmed to The War Zone that this picture shows F-15EX-1, the first F-15EX for the U.S. Air Force, under construction.

huggy · by **huggy** » 15 Jul 2020, 00:41

marauder2048 wrote:I'll take "Belated Replies to Off Topic Posts" for 1000 please, Alex.

Valid! However, due to the uninformed posts that get promulgated here, people like me can only check in on a very limited basis so as to avoid more vomiting from the content.