USAF F-15EX Contract Awarded
Cost figures on which I based my statements.
USAF budget documents indicate that an F-15EX will have a "flyaway" cost of $87.7 million. An F-35A delivered in 2022 will have a "flyaway" cost of $77.9 million. But you've always got to be careful when aircraft prices are listed, because the definitions are, shall we say, "fluid". To the "flyaway" cost of a F-15EX must be added the cost of major systems such as the radar and the electronic warfare suite which aren't covered in that number, whereas the "flyaway" cost of the F-35A includes those systems. So, the difference is even greater.
USAF budget documents indicate that an F-15EX will have a "flyaway" cost of $87.7 million. An F-35A delivered in 2022 will have a "flyaway" cost of $77.9 million. But you've always got to be careful when aircraft prices are listed, because the definitions are, shall we say, "fluid". To the "flyaway" cost of a F-15EX must be added the cost of major systems such as the radar and the electronic warfare suite which aren't covered in that number, whereas the "flyaway" cost of the F-35A includes those systems. So, the difference is even greater.
As you said, the definitions are 'fluid'...
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Don't Be Duped by Cost Figures
Cost figures on which I based my statements.
USAF budget documents indicate that an F-15EX will have a "flyaway" cost of $87.7 million. An F-35A delivered in 2022 will have a "flyaway" cost of $77.9 million. But you've always got to be careful when aircraft prices are listed, because the definitions are, shall we say, "fluid". To the "flyaway" cost of a F-15EX must be added the cost of major systems such as the radar and the electronic warfare suite which aren't covered in that number, whereas the "flyaway" cost of the F-35A includes those systems. So, the difference is even greater.
USAF budget documents indicate that an F-15EX will have a "flyaway" cost of $87.7 million. An F-35A delivered in 2022 will have a "flyaway" cost of $77.9 million. But you've always got to be careful when aircraft prices are listed, because the definitions are, shall we say, "fluid". To the "flyaway" cost of a F-15EX must be added the cost of major systems such as the radar and the electronic warfare suite which aren't covered in that number, whereas the "flyaway" cost of the F-35A includes those systems. So, the difference is even greater.
The latest figure tossed out by the Pentagon and Lockheed is the F-35A will cost $80 million each. No they won't! They will cost far more. The latest Pentagon and Lockheed Martin figure touted in the press is $80 million for each F-35A in the Lot 14 batch for fiscal year 2020. But taxpayers will pay far more than that for an F-35A. This number, like the others trotted out to prove the plane’s affordability, hardly provides the full picture not just of the price per aircraft, but the program as a whole. The $80 million sticker price for the 2020 model F-35A jumps up to $110 millionwhen all aspects of the program are added together according to the USAF justification book and that doesn't include costs that were paid for in previous years. IMHO, it is best to look at the bigger picture, not just acquisition alone.
When all the operating costs for the planned fleet are calculated across the expected 50-year lifetime of the program, the American people will spend an estimated $1.727 trillion on the F-35 aircraft planned for Pentagon purchases. I don't think the F-15EX operating costs will be anything approaching the likes of the F-35.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
One of the most important points, and a sea change between the F-22/F-35 era with their incredible expense and and almost decade periods between upgrades, is the software.
For the las5 couple of decades it’s been warned that the software is more expensive - and more if a development problem - than the hardware. Perhaps that is about to change. (And it makes me wonder about the latest Russian/Chinese generations behind their flashy shut lines)...
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021...as-a-new-name/
Most important is the aircraft’s open architecture backbone, which will allow the service to quickly update the aircraft and add new capabilities, Richardson said.
https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/...tly-retrofits/
The GAO report found that the current 2027 goal for finalizing the Block 4modernization is “not achievable.” GAO said that costs of the effort had ballooned by $1.9 billion between 2019 and 2020, bringing the overall cost to about $14.4 billion. Software development has been the primary driver of the problems, the report said — including the fact that about a quarter of the software being delivered by prime contractor Lockheed Martin was found to have defects after it had already been integrated into the aircraft.
For the las5 couple of decades it’s been warned that the software is more expensive - and more if a development problem - than the hardware. Perhaps that is about to change. (And it makes me wonder about the latest Russian/Chinese generations behind their flashy shut lines)...
https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021...as-a-new-name/
Most important is the aircraft’s open architecture backbone, which will allow the service to quickly update the aircraft and add new capabilities, Richardson said.
https://breakingdefense.com/2021/03/...tly-retrofits/
The GAO report found that the current 2027 goal for finalizing the Block 4modernization is “not achievable.” GAO said that costs of the effort had ballooned by $1.9 billion between 2019 and 2020, bringing the overall cost to about $14.4 billion. Software development has been the primary driver of the problems, the report said — including the fact that about a quarter of the software being delivered by prime contractor Lockheed Martin was found to have defects after it had already been integrated into the aircraft.
It's not surprising that the F-35's flyaway cost today would be lower since it benefits from a much larger order base and more rapid production rate. However, no matter how many or fast you build, that won't change the per-hour operating costs and this is where the -EX is expected to come out ahead. Once again, all these numbers and terms are "fluid".
BTW, Aviation Week is quoting the same numbers I did, FWIW.
Last edited by Commando Cody; 18th Apr 2021 at 22:25.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
https://www.defensenews.com/congress...ist-not-f-35s/
US Air Force wish list includes more F-15EX jets but no F-35s
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s $4.2 billion wish list for fiscal 2022 includes about $1.4 billion to buy 12 more F-15EX fighters from Boeing, helping to narrow a projected gap as the service divests its aging F-15C/D fleet.
More funding for the F-15EX — which includes procurement of 24 conformal fuel tank sets and assorted spares to extend the range of the aircraft — ranked as the top priority and most expensive item on the service’s annual unfunded priorities list, which was delivered to Congress on June 1 and obtained by Defense News.
But the biggest surprise was the conspicuous absence of additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters…….
Congress is usually amenable to boosting aircraft procurement to the levels laid out in the unfunded list, but the Air Force’s planned divestment of more than 200 aircraft in FY22 — including 42 A-10 Warthogs, 47 F-16C/Ds and 48 F-15C/Ds — could make lawmakers even more likely to increase F-15EX procurement.
The Air Force requested funds for 12 F-15EX aircraft and 48 F-35s in its FY22 budgetreleased Friday…..
US Air Force wish list includes more F-15EX jets but no F-35s
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force’s $4.2 billion wish list for fiscal 2022 includes about $1.4 billion to buy 12 more F-15EX fighters from Boeing, helping to narrow a projected gap as the service divests its aging F-15C/D fleet.
More funding for the F-15EX — which includes procurement of 24 conformal fuel tank sets and assorted spares to extend the range of the aircraft — ranked as the top priority and most expensive item on the service’s annual unfunded priorities list, which was delivered to Congress on June 1 and obtained by Defense News.
But the biggest surprise was the conspicuous absence of additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters…….
Congress is usually amenable to boosting aircraft procurement to the levels laid out in the unfunded list, but the Air Force’s planned divestment of more than 200 aircraft in FY22 — including 42 A-10 Warthogs, 47 F-16C/Ds and 48 F-15C/Ds — could make lawmakers even more likely to increase F-15EX procurement.
The Air Force requested funds for 12 F-15EX aircraft and 48 F-35s in its FY22 budgetreleased Friday…..
53rd Wing
Theres total of 4 x F-15EX at Eglin as of the end of 2023 with EX3 and EX4 airframes.
https://www.53rdwing.af.mil/News/Art...rive-at-eglin/
cheers
https://www.53rdwing.af.mil/News/Art...rive-at-eglin/
cheers
Seymour Johnson F-15EX FTU 2026 onwards
All changes afoot with Seymour Johnson 4th Fighter Wing from 2026 onwards as two of the four Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons are to merge into one to become the F-15EX FTU. As far as I am aware, its the 333rd and 334th Fighter Squadron are the FTU for the strike eagle while the 335th and 336th are frontline squadrons.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ai...-15ex-awesome/
Originally the 173rd Fighter Wing in Oregon would be the F_15EX FTU but the squadron within the wing is becoming F-35A FTU
cheers
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ai...-15ex-awesome/
Originally the 173rd Fighter Wing in Oregon would be the F_15EX FTU but the squadron within the wing is becoming F-35A FTU
cheers
