Cost is a U shape, costly at the beginning and the end. I noticed they aren't using a fly away cost per plane, it will be dearer than the current F-35A.
Did you read your link?
SAR has the cost per hour for the F-35A at $29k, Your link has an average across customers and models of $35k and $6k dearer than the SAR F-35A. With heading to an average $25k by 2025.
The f-15EX, still a paper plane and will be different to what is currently being built and fitted. I haven't seen that they have even locked in the specs or a fixed cost yet?
Adding the numbers you provided, Do you think they can get F-15EX flying for 50% less and between 14,5-17.5k per hour? Less than a FA-18ef. It really is a big ask.
"
Lockheed Martin Vice President and General Manager
F-35 Program Greg Ulmer said there was an effort to lower the
cost per flight hour to $25,000 by 2025 but further savings would take longer.
"Today it is different customer by customer but I think $35,000 per flying hour is a good number," he told Reuters in an interview at the Australian International Airshow.
"If we project that out based on the initiatives we have in place, we believe as we move out to the 2035-2040 timeframe we can get that
cost down to under what a fourth gen is today," in the range of $20,000-25,000 per flight hour.
Initiatives involved in lowering the
cost to $25,000 an hour include reducing the number of mechanics needed to support each plane, Ulmer said."