The Polish Air Force and Boeing are finalizing the sale of close to 24 F-15EX Eagle II fighters, a highly developed multirole strike aircraft. The consideration of this move will form part of a broader strategic plan by Poland to modernize its combat air fleet. With the ability to carry payloads, and munitions—up to 30,000 pounds, the F-15EX is one of the most armed aircraft in the U.S. Air Force. But its estimated price tag of a “flyaway cost” of $94 million per plane has set off alarm bells.
Boeing has long pitched the F-15EX as a versatile multi-role fighter and a relative bargain. The aerospace company says it would be less challenging to produce and quicker to enter service than an equivalent number of F-35s. Boeing also argues that F-15EX is designed to insert technologies quickly, ensuring it will be relevant for many decades into the future. Independently operating while isolated, with its Open Mission Systems Architecture, the aircraft reconnects to the global cloud, delivering the ABMS capability.
While this all sounds great, the cost of the F-15EX is still a major problem. Indeed, potential sticker shock is probably the reason the Department of Defense warned in an internal memorandum last October that the “flyaway cost” of an F-15EX might run as high as $94 million per unit, And that was more expensive than the F-35, to begin with, at $80 million per unit.
Foreign military orders might help stem some of the costs for the F-15EX. Indonesia and Israel have shown an interest in the aircraft, and Israel is very close to taking 25 aircraft designated by the Israeli Air Force as the F-15IA. That order might double, which would be very good for Boeing and could reduce the costs for the F-15EX in the minds of the U.S. Air Force and taxpayers.
The F-15EX is not a mere renewal of the F-15, but a significant improvement in nearly all respects. It boasts of an AESA radar to match with an unmitigated electronic warfare suite. It is in this respect that Boeing often crows over its jet’s huge combat range and payload capabilities over the other American and international analogs.
This affirms that Poland shows high interest in the F-15EX and solid commitment to this nation’s preparedness and effectiveness of its military forces. The F-15EX is developing independent defense capabilities for Poland from the perspective of interoperability, supportability, and affordability. The jet offers increased interoperability with the U.S. and NATO forces, an ability to grow technologies, and provides for a 20,000+ hour economic, operational airframe life of topflight standards and is an excellent candidate to meet the security needs of Poland.
The journey of the F-15, from when it entered service in the Americans to the latest configuration as the F-15EX, has been nothing short of remarkable. The aircraft was exported to a wide range of countries, including Israel, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, and is still operational in some of the air forces. The F-15E Strike Eagle, a modification designed for air-to-ground combat, has seen in-theater combat operations over Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya.
The top priorities have now become the fifth-generation, radar-evading stealth fighter jets, such as the F-22s. This has moved the older F-15 Eagles to take somewhat of a backseat. Nevertheless, it is foreseen that the F-15E Strike Eagle will remain in service well into the 2030s. The advanced capability enhancement realized, coupled with the potential of cost decrease through foreign military sales, clearly demonstrates the F-15EX as a major, critical step forward in maintaining air superiority and ground support roles for the United States and its allies.