The power of the US "Super Eagle" fighter is secretly developing

The US Air Force is secretly planning to replace its F-15 C/D fleet with a brand new fighter jet dubbed the F-15X "Super Eagle." This move could offset the shortage of F-22 stealth fighters, limit the impact of problems on the F-35 line, and cut the expensive operating costs of the two expensive 5th generation fighters, according toTask and Purpose.

The US stopped producing 4th generation fighters like the F-15 in 2001, to focus on developing and manufacturing 5th generation fighters. Upgrading and maintaining old fighter platforms is being questioned as the US Air Force focuses only on the F-35 program, while the budget for this field is tightened.

Military expert Tyler Rogoway assessed that the F-15X model will easily adapt to the strategy of combining 5th and 4th generation fighters, aiming to solve the problem of the declining force structure of the US Air Force.

The F-22 is considered the best fighter jet ever built by the US, possessing many cutting-edge technologies and stealth features against radar. However, this project was terminated when only 187 aircraft were produced, not meeting half of the original plan of 381 aircraft.

Meanwhile, despite spending nearly $1.5 trillion on development, the F-35 has yet to become the perfect multi-role fighter to replace older fighters in the US Air Force. The focus on stealth and ground-to-ground missions makes the F-35 inferior to the F-15 in close-range air combat capabilities. If it carries all 16 air-to-air missiles on its external weapon racks, the F-35 will lose its stealth advantage and be easily detected by the enemy.

The F-15X is a solution that helps the US save on operating costs, while avoiding the obstacles of purchasing the F-35 stealth fighter. This is considered an addition to the US Air Force, not a complete replacement for the F-35.

Each F-15X is expected to carry up to 22 air-to-air missiles, compared to eight on current F-15 C/Ds. To conduct joint operations, the F-15X can be equipped with eight air-to-air missiles to attack enemy aircraft, along with 28 GBU-39 small diameter bombs or seven GBU-31 JDAM bombs to attack ground targets.This capability far exceeds the weapons-carrying capabilities of the F-15C/Ds, as well as the current F-22 and F-35 fleets.

The F-15X could become a trump card in beyond visual range (BVR) combat situations, especially as this form of combat plays a key role in conflicts in the Asia-Pacific, to counter China's anti-access/area denial (A2/D2) strategy.

Manufacturer Boeing revealed that the F-15X will be comprehensively modernized with a cockpit equipped with a multi-function display (MFD) to replace the mechanical clock on the F-15C/D. In addition, there is a helmet-mounted target designation system, APG-82 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electronic defense system (EPAWSS) and Legion target designation sensor cluster.

The cost of manufacturing the F-15X is said to be quite cheap compared to the price of 95 million USD of an F-35A. Each flight hour of the Super Eagle only costs about 27,000 USD, much lower than the 45,000 USD of the F-35. Boeing claims that the F-15X has a lifespan of up to 20,000 flight hours, much higher than the 5,000 hours of the F-15C/D series, allowing the Super Eagle to be in service for decades.

"In the event of a US conflict with China and Russia in the Pacific, the F-15X would be a great addition to the F-22 and F-35 stealth fighter fleet," said military expert Brad Howard.