Third F-15EX Aircraft Notches First Flight

Boeing has completed the first flight of the third F-15EX ordered by the U.S. Air Force, moving the program closer to a first aircraft delivery since April 2021.

The flight on Oct. 27 from the Boeing factory at the St. Louis Lambert International Airport comes two and a half months after the third F-15EX rolled off the assembly line.

Boeing delivered two F-15EX fighters between March and April 2021 to get flight testing off to an early start. Both aircraft had been diverted to the U.S. Air Force from a production stream of F-15QAs ordered by Qatar.

Accordingly, the third F-15EX to enter flight testing is the first originally built to match the specifications for the U.S. order, which includes the BAE Systems Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System.

The Air Force currently plans to order a total of 104 F-15EXs, but the final number could grow. The original plan called for buying 144 F-15EXs to replace a portion of the F-15C/D fleet, which are now being retired.

Boeing also is looking for buyers on the international market for the latest version of the 51-year-old fighter type. Indonesia signed a commitment with Boeing to order F-15EXs, but the agreement is not binding. The aircraft also has been linked to interest from the Israel.