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F-15EX took to the skies for the first time in a public air show
Last weekend, aviation enthusiasts and spectators were treated to a historic moment at the Oregon International Airshow (OIA) in McMinnville as the F-15EX took to the skies for the first time in a public air show. The appearance of the aircraft marked the culmination of a years-long effort to bring the EX to Portland and offered Oregonians a chance to see the next-generation fighter up close.
As told by Tech. Sgt. Alexander Frank, 142nd Wing/Public Affairs, in the article F-15EX makes first air show appearance at Oregon International Air Show, during the three-day event, the 142nd Wing conducted multiple flyovers and flybys with F-15EX Eagle II and F-15C aircraft. US Air Force Lt. Col. Jonathan Friedman, 123rd Fighter Squadron commander, says that being able to illustrate the EX’s capabilities to the public for the first time makes the long journey to receive the aircraft worthwhile.
“It was an honor to showcase the F-15EX at the [Oregon International] Air Show, ” said Friedman. “A lot of people internal and external to the 142nd Wing have worked for many years to make this conversion a reality, [and] it’s a privilege to get to represent all those folks and all their efforts at an event like this.”
At first glance, it’s easy to mistake the EX with a standard F-15C given how similar the airframes look. But make no mistake, the EX is a generational leap into the future, featuring a bevy of technological upgrades.
Dedicated team of maintainers
“The F-15EX brings better sensors, computers, flight controls, and more power to the fight than the F-15C,” said Friedman. “It’s been designed with a ‘digital backbone’ that should enable rapid fielding of new technology and expand the current mission sets of the F-15C.”
While pilots and aircraft often take center stage at any air show, it’s important to remember that the various aerial feats wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated team of maintainers ensuring everything performs flawlessly.
Master Sgt. Quentin Manley, the alert chief enlisted manager for the 142nd Maintenance Squadron, oversaw maintenance operations in support of the air show. Manley reflected on the role of maintainers in supporting community events like this.
“I’ve been doing this for 28 years and it still tickles me pink whenever I see them take off,” said Manley. “It’s nice having us broaden that bridge, going out into the community, especially introducing our new aircraft.”
For those that missed the F-15EX; don’t worry. When asked if the 142nd Wing and the EX would return to the OIA in the future, Lt. Col. Friedman answered emphatically.
“Absolutely!” said Friedman. “By this time next year, we expect our fleet to be almost entirely comprised of F-15EX’s.”
The Eagle II
Boeing has made significant investments in the F-15EX Eagle II making it the most capable multirole fighter aircraft in production today. The aircraft offers improved survivability and capability with:
- fly-by-wire flight controls,
- a new electronic warfare system,
- an all-glass digital cockpit,
- the latest mission systems and software capabilities,
- as well as the ability to carry advanced hypersonic weapons.
The USAF is embracing the F-15EX as a means to shore up its fighter force, facing the hard reality that it just doesn’t have enough iron to go around.
The service received only 186 F-22s and it never got the 381 Raptors it planned for to replace its F-15C/Ds and carry the air superiority mission through 2040. The USAF had to retain more than 200 of the youngest or lowest-time F-15Cs well beyond their planned service lives to meet global force requirements. Now those F-15C/Ds are so worn down that the USAF officials say it’s no longer cost-effective to fix them. Hence the service decided to buy the F-15EX to replace the F-15C/D.
The F-15EX is anticipated to join the F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 (until a sixth-generation fighter will replace the Raptor).
Photo credit: Staff Sgt. Nichole Sanchez / U.S. Air Force
