First two F-15EX fighter planes join Alaska training exercise

Weeks after delivery, the first two F-15EX fighter planes of the U.S. Air Force are participating in an Alaska training exercise, the Air Force said on Friday.

Two of the new-model aircraft have been built, and both are elements of the Northern Edge 21 exercise underway until May 14 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, the branch said in a press release.

The planes are variants of the F-15C, and are equipped with improved maneuverability, acceleration, durability, computer power and armament, according to their manufacturer, Boeing.

The planes' presence "is to allow for immediate deep-end testing in a complex jamming environment to gather essential test data for what works and what needs improvement," Air Force officials said in the release.

"This is critical to expose the F-15EX to this environment now to make changes early on and allow for an aggressive test and fielding timeline," the Air Force said.

The U.S. Air Force intends to acquire 144 F-15EXs from Boeing, the ceiling of a deal initially announced in 2020, to refresh its F-15 fleet and replace aging F-15C/D models.

Upgrades to the plane, called the Eagle II, include advanced avionics systems and the capability to carry nearly 30,000 pounds of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons internally, to minimize its stealth profile.

The variant is based on the F-15QA model, built for Qatar's air force.

Northern Edge 21 is sponsored by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and involves over 5,000 members of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

The joint training exercise features "high-end, realistic war fighter training, develops and improves joint interoperability, and enhances the combat readiness of participating forces," a Command statement in March said.

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Some B-1B Lancers resume flight after safety stand-down
Washington DC (UPI) May 6, 2021
The first B-1B Lancers resumed flight operations this week following a safety stand-down issued last month, the Air Force announced Thursday. According to the Air Force's press release, individual B-1Bs will return to flight as inspections and maintenance are completed on each aircraft. Air Force Global Strike Command commander Gen. Tim Ray ordered that all 57 B-1Bs be grounded indefinitely in late April after one B-1 experienced an emergency relating to a fuel filter problem in South Da ... read more