F-15X: USAF Seems Interested

This article uses anonymous sources to say that the USAF is considering the F-15X at a cheap, fixed price from Boeing. It would replace F-15Cs in five Air National Guard and three active duty squadrons. Fun times!

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/22 ... nt-fighter

'Cheap' and F-15 are a contradiction in terms.

'Cheap' and F-15 are a contradiction in terms.

But what does the air force consider cheap any more? If they order these, plus have the orders from foreign military sales production rate could get them down around or under $100 million. Since they have decades of experience with the jet it's a easy injection of newer more capable air frames.

I don't mind the plan, there are def missions a nice 4th gen can still do for the USAF and allow us to save hours on the raptors and deploy more F-35's abroad. If they can for sure network seamlessly with the F-35 and F-22 then this will be a great missile truck.

I don't get if they want this as a multitasking airframe, why they'd make it single seat. I know I've watched a video or read a transcript of an interview with a F-35 pilot that said something to the affect, The plane itself is easy to fly, it's working the systems that is a challenge. I took that to mean that sorting through the wealth of info and making decisions was what was challenging the pilot. It would seem to me that having a GIB, whoops, PersonIB, helping with that would be advantageous.

How much worse if you use a current F-15D model, flown with just the pilot, is performance compared to the C model? Is it really that much worse?

Laughable as the USAF has no interest in the F-15X. Hell, it would like to retire it's current F-15C Fleet.


Plus, does anybody believe you could purchase a brand new F-15X for $80-85 Million??? Which, will be the price of your average F-35A in a couple of years.

If the article is accurate, it would appear that the USAF may in fact be interested. Whether Boeing can deliver at below $95m remains to be seen. They might be able to, with an order of 235.

C’mon man...

Tyler Rogoway — hipster ‘reporter’ who hasn’t reported diddly since he got his new gig at ‘the drive’ — writes a rambling ‘exclusive’ devoid of named sources or even where or by whom those sources might be employed — and you swallow it as credible (i.e. not talking points from Boeing or the Air Guard guys who have long-standing ‘close’ relationships with that company)??

Whomever his ‘sources’ were, they are smart enough to know that this guy is eager to deliver something/anything right now, and he has virtually no editorial oversight (as the quality of the writing suggests). I really like the part about hundreds of hush-hush conversations. Were there secret handshakes to get into the Mouseketeer Clubhouse too?

You guys are smarter than this. C’mon.

F-35 is proving so capable that it may put the Eagle mafia out of business — and they know it. And, as suggested by other(s) above, Eagle unit cost won’t sniff anything less than $95-100M (except where ‘hush-hush’ conversations happen) and that’s before we talk about total ownership costs.

C’mon...

They could have had the F-15 MANX decades ago. They didn't want it then and they don't want it now. And Tyler Rogoway? Anybody posting his BS should be ashamed of themselves.

I agree Rogoway is not a trusted source. However, Boeing has landed a massive Super Hornet block III sale to the Navy under similar terms. Note how the article goes out of its way to argue that F-15X would not take away from F-35 buys or even F-15E upgrades. I find this entirely plausible in a political situation where the national debt is apparently not a binding constraint on military spending. Most of the spending craziness has been with the Navy (355 ship fleet, Super Hornets) but there is no reason the Air Force cannot benefit.

The F-15X buy could be curtailed if Democrats take over and hold the line in defense spending increases. Nothing is locked in stone.

Block III SHs are an industrial trial base decision that keeps St Louis and certain USG activities viable until there is a new start for FA-XX/NGAD. They are also cost competitive; Eagles are not cost competitive — NRE paid for by others, or not.

Oh, and it looks like mr hipster’s ‘story’ (regurgitation of BA talking points) isn’t such an ‘exclusive’ this morning —

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2 ... d-topstory

Would be sad if we started procuring upgraded F-15's vs. F-35's IMO. This would be equivalent to what the Russians are doing today, albeit we already have a true stealth fighter in production and their PAK FA is a bust. They only have one option - build more upgraded Flankers...

Having said that, never under-estimate the Eagle mafia in the USAF. Like a comfortable old shoe, they may just slip into it if the situation calls for it. And the most likely situation is without question, a truncated F-35 buy. They're already talking about it, and if one big foreign buyer opts out... could be a slipper slope.

We shall see. I LOVE the F-15 but let's be honest - it's best days are behind it...

Would be sad if we started procuring upgraded F-15's vs. F-35's IMO. This would be equivalent to what the Russians are doing today, albeit we already have a true stealth fighter in production and their PAK FA is a bust. They only have one option - build more upgraded Flankers...

It isn't similar because Su-35 is dirt cheap in comparison with Su-57 and Su-57 isn't finish yet (without new engine it is more less pointless). New F-15 would cost same or maybe higher then F-35 and F-35 is more less finished.

Would be sad if we started procuring upgraded F-15's vs. F-35's IMO. This would be equivalent to what the Russians are doing today, albeit we already have a true stealth fighter in production and their PAK FA is a bust. They only have one option - build more upgraded Flankers...

It isn't similar because Su-35 is dirt cheap in comparison with Su-57 and Su-57 isn't finish yet (without new engine it is more less pointless). New F-15 would cost same or maybe higher then F-35 and F-35 is more less finished.

SU-57 has an established price tag? I've seen estimates, but nothing concrete. It uses the same engines and avionics as the SU-35, which are by far the most expensive parts of any airframe.

How much more expensive is it?

Would be sad if we started procuring upgraded F-15's vs. F-35's IMO. This would be equivalent to what the Russians are doing today, albeit we already have a true stealth fighter in production and their PAK FA is a bust. They only have one option - build more upgraded Flankers...

It isn't similar because Su-35 is dirt cheap in comparison with Su-57 and Su-57 isn't finish yet (without new engine it is more less pointless). New F-15 would cost same or maybe higher then F-35 and F-35 is more less finished.

SU-57 has an established price tag? I've seen estimates, but nothing concrete. It uses the same engines and avionics as the SU-35, which are by far the most expensive parts of any airframe.

How much more expensive is it?

Su-35s are ~$65M+. I've seen estimates of $100M+ for the Su-57.

If the article is accurate, it would appear that the USAF may in fact be interested. Whether Boeing can deliver at below $95m remains to be seen. They might be able to, with an order of 235.

USAF has "NO" interest is acquiring any more F-15's...."PERIOD"