The U.S. Air Force is more than doubling the planned size of its F‑15EX Eagle II fleet, increasing its objective from 129 aircraft to 267.
An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the revised procurement plan to Air & Space Forces Magazine, noting that the total includes the 24 F‑15EXs the service intends to purchase in fiscal year 2027. Breaking Defense first reported the expanded fleet target.
“This will complete the stand‑up of existing F‑15EX units and then begin recapitalizing the aging F‑15E Strike Eagle fleet,” the spokesperson said.
The Air Force currently has about 25 F‑15EX aircraft in its inventory and has executed contracts with Boeing for more than 100 jets. The Eagle II is the latest evolution of the F‑15 design, integrating advanced avionics, digital fly‑by‑wire flight controls, and enhanced electronic warfare systems.
During an April 21 budget briefing at the Pentagon, Air Force leaders emphasized that the service views the F‑15EX as a complement to—rather than a substitute for—the F‑35A, with each platform bringing distinct strengths to the force.
“There are fundamental differences in what we’re looking for in a platform like the F‑15EX compared to advanced fifth‑ and emerging sixth‑generation fighters,” one official said. “When you look at the specific carriage capacity, the number of weapons stations, and the aircraft’s role in the Pacific theater, there is a clear requirement. Achieving a balanced fighter portfolio is essential to meeting combatant command and joint force needs.”
The jump to a 267‑aircraft objective marks a dramatic reversal from a series of reductions and adjustments made over the past several years. When the Air Force awarded Boeing the F‑15EX contract in 2020, it envisioned a fleet of up to 144 aircraft. In 2022, citing fiscal pressures, officials cut the plan to 80 jets. The following year, 24 aircraft were added back, bringing the total to 104, though leaders said the buy would not increase further. The target rose again in 2025, to 129 aircraft—before the latest expansion was unveiled.
To date, the Air Force has positioned the F‑15EX primarily as a replacement for legacy F‑15C and F‑15D airframes, many of which have been in service since the 1980s, as well as a partial backfill for the A‑10. However, adding another 138 Eagle IIs would enable the service to make significant progress toward retiring the F‑15E Strike Eagle fleet as well.
The Air Force currently operates 216 F‑15Es and has previously outlined plans to retain only 99 of them—specifically aircraft equipped with the newer F100‑PW‑229 engines. An expanded F‑15EX buy would accelerate that transition.
The larger fleet could also help the Air Force move closer to its stated goal of purchasing at least 72 new fighters annually, a rate leaders say is necessary to stem the long‑term trend of a shrinking and aging fighter inventory.
Under the Air Force’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, the service would acquire 62 new fighters, including 38 F‑35As and 24 F‑15EXs. In fiscal year 2026, procurement drops to 46 aircraft—24 F‑35As and 22 F‑15EXs.
