For many years, the United States Air Force relied heavily on being one step ahead of its rivals, and in order to maintain that lead, they were always required to make tough decisions on where to allocate their budget. The issue of whether it is worth putting a lot of money into building new stealth fighters or continuing to use the current ones by upgrading them remains as relevant today as it was before, given the present multipolar competition and limited defense budgets. The F-15EX Eagle II is right at the center of that debate, a fighter that bridges the gap between the future generation of stealth and the past-established safety and reliability.
The Eagle II might have its roots in the Cold War’s iconic F-15, but labeling it outdated is a misstep. It is a fully redesigned plane, still sharing the F-15’s unparalleled record of never having been shot down in air combat, but now with digital fly-by-wire controls, all-glass cockpit, advanced mission systems, and an open digital architecture that can swallow upgrades with minimal downtime. These features aren’t merely to keep up with today’s threats—these are to leave them in the dust.
Among the F-15EX’s greatest benefits is what it can carry. Stealth fighters such as the F-35 have to conceal their weapons in internal bays to preserve a low radar profile, which restricts their load. The Eagle II, on the other hand, can carry much more ordnance externally, including hypersonic missiles that are too large to fit on stealth fighters.
That makes it well-suited for its role as a “missile truck,” teamed with stealth platforms sneaking behind enemy lines while the F-15EX rains down debilitating firepower from standoff distance. In areas such as the Indo-Pacific, where distances are great and airfields are rare, this range and payload capacity are strategic gold.
The idea isn’t to replace stealth fighters—it’s to augment them. In a high-threat environment, stealth aircraft such as the F-35 or B-21 would clear the way by taking out the defenses and acting as forward-deployed sensors.
After securing the airspace, the F-15EX can then come in to hold the heavy weapons payload, deliver mass salvos, and have a presence without occupying more expensive stealth assets. It’s a high-low combination that provides the flexibility for the Air Force while keeping its best planes reserved for the missions only they can handle.
Cost is part of the calculation as well. While the unit cost of an F-15EX is near that of an F-35A, the life-cycle cost of maintaining it in service is much lower due to decades of pre-existing maintenance infrastructure. When every program is vying for funding these days, that counts, particularly when the alternative is wagering all on costly, untested next-generation platforms.
Its operational deployment highlights its strategic worth. The landing of the initial two Eagle IIs at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, was more than a milestone in training; it was a sign. In the words of Brig. Gen. John Gallemore, the deployment provides “a glimpse of the future of airpower in the Indo-Pacific,” laying the groundwork for hassle-free integration with U.S. and allied militaries.
Placing 36 of them there by 2026 is a glimpse into the long-term future of the aircraft’s function in countering maturing threats such as the J-20 stealth fighter.
In Europe as well, the advantages are apparent. NATO air forces with modernization deficits could rely on the F-15EX for air superiority and deep-strike roles. Its Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) adds the highest level of electronic warfare capability, and its heavy payloads leave it the capacity to hit targets beyond the range of cutting-edge Russian air defenses.
All of this amidst fiery debate on the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which has unprecedented capability but comes at enormous costs and unknown timelines.
Detractors are saying it will be a mistake to attempt to fund NGAD together with the F-35, F-15EX, and others because it threatens to stretch the resources too thin. The Eagle II presents a realistic counterweight—deployable today, battle-tested in design, and in a position to see significant upgrades for years to come.
And upgrades are its point. The F-15EX’s open architecture allows it to absorb future technologies such as AI copilots, high-end sensor fusion, stealth coatings, and new hypersonic weapons without a complete redesign. It’s a paradigm of ongoing development instead of gambles, so it stays on the cutting edge in terms of confronting upcoming threats.
Far from being a temporary measure, the F-15EX is a keystone in a balanced airpower strategy—one that appreciates both advanced stealth and the long-term utility of non-stealth platforms.
By combining speed, payload, tried performance, and advanced flexibility, the Eagle II allows the Air Force to accomplish a broad array of missions without overinvesting in one method of success. Its arrival marks not a throwback to the past, but a forward-looking move to keep U.S. air dominance secure well into the future.