BOEING F-15 EAGLE SERIES RETROFIT MODERNIZATION STATUS MARCH 2021

摘要

The F-15 is the gift that keeps on giving, with a service life that has extended from its initial delivery in 1974 to a healthy contemporary production forecast that will see modern variants of the aircraft flying until 2050 and beyond. The recent DoD decision to procure new-build F-15EX aircraft opens up yet another substantial R&M opportunity for decades to come, with a planned 80-plus EX models set to begin replacing legacy C/D models in the coming years, the oldest of which was delivered in the late 1970s. While around $4.8 billion is planned to support RDT&E and procurement efforts for F-15 modifications from FY20- FY25, current budget figures point to a downturn in modification spending beginning in FY24, due in large part to the retirement of legacy C/D models. Whether this will fully materialize is unknown, as the entrance of EX models to the U.S. fleet will immediately result in a sustainment program worth many millions of dollars annually. Internationally, the F-15 R&M market remains strong, bolstered by a recent $4.5 billion upgrade package for roughly 100 JASDF F-15 aircraft, to be known as Japan Super Interceptors. Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia and Israel are performing ongoing upgrades to their fleets, as even in Israel (an operator of F-35 aircraft), the F-15 provides key capabilities in the air superiority and ground strike space. Legacy models will be retired in broad strokes around the globe as production of new models continues; a total of 167 are expected to be produced from 2020-2029. Key modifications for the F-15 in FY21 and the immediate future rest within the Electronics segment, with large funding provided for radar and electronic warfare capability enhancements. Most conversion programs internationally focus on similar upgrades: radar enhancements, cryptographic communications, targeting system improvements, and electronic warfare upgrades.