When it comes to advanced air forces, most people immediately think of stealth aircraft and high-tech jets. That is true, but not entirely. The best air forces in the world see that big, powerful and versatile is also crucial. The F-15EX, the newest variant of the legendary F‑15, will be deployed by both the United States and Israel (still on order) – and that is no coincidence.
The strength of a proven design
The F‑15EX is not stealthy, but that does not mean the aircraft is lagging behind. On the contrary: it combines speed (no less than 2,700 km/h), range and enormous firepower with today’s modern electronics and radar. For air forces such as those of the US and Israel, this means a strategic advantage: the aircraft can carry an impressive amount of weapons, attack air and ground targets at the same time, over long distances, and extremely fast too. It is a workhorse that does exactly what it is meant to do, reliable and versatile.
For Israel, for example, this was crucial in recent operations against targets in Iran. First the F-35 fighters were deployed, and then also the F-15Cs it currently has. Missiles were fired from a great distance. Within two weeks, the Israeli air force managed to knock out air defences and hit targets at enormous distances, with fighter jets instead of ballistic missiles. The F‑15EX fits that scenario perfectly: a robust aircraft that combines precision and striking power with operational flexibility.
Why top air forces are betting on the F‑15EX
Something similar applies to the United States. While the F‑35 is used for covert, stealth operations, the F‑15EX offers greater payload, a longer operational life and lower operating costs for missions where invisibility is less important. The aircraft can also be quickly adapted to new weapons and technologies, which makes it attractive for the future.
Israel and the US thus show that even the most modern air forces do not rely blindly on stealth, but instead invest in a balanced fleet: stealth jets for penetrating unseen, and F‑15EXs for precision, firepower and great flexibility.
Video Boeing. This is the F-15QA (a variant from which the F-15EX was derived), which is being delivered to Qatar.
Armament: many weapons, big impact
What really sets the F‑15EX apart is the enormous quantity and variety of weapons it can carry. Modern adversaries such as China and Russia force Western air forces to be able to strike further, harder and more precisely – before they are attacked themselves. The F‑15EX fits that picture exactly. The aircraft can carry more than 13,000 kilos of armament, ranging from classic air-to-air missiles to heavy long-range weapons.
These include adapted variants of missiles such as the SM‑6, a weapon normally fired from naval ships. The newest F‑15EX configurations make it possible to carry even such large and powerful missiles under the wings. This is already being tested on the navy’s F-18 fighters. It seems extreme, but these kinds of long-range weapons are becoming ever more valuable in a world in which you operate against enemies across enormous distances, with advanced air defences and threats from the sea, the air and cyberspace.
With these payload options, a single F‑15EX can attack multiple targets, break off an enemy attack at a distance or even counter hypersonic threats. That makes the aircraft not only powerful, but also strategically flexible — exactly why the best air forces in the world, including the United States itself, are betting heavily on the F‑15EX.
A strategic workhorse for a complex world
The F‑15EX combines the best of two worlds: a proven design that can carry an enormous number of weapons, with modern systems that make the aircraft a formidable opponent in today’s airspace too. For air forces operating worldwide, that is a valuable weapon: a reliable and powerful fighter that plays a crucial role alongside stealth aircraft in tactical planning and strategic capability.
In short, the F‑15EX shows that the best air forces in the world – from Washington to Tel Aviv – are betting on power, flexibility and precision, even at a time when stealth often gets the most attention. It is an aircraft that has proven its worth and will remain a core component of modern air forces for many years to come.
