Could Taiwan Purchase the F-15EX Eagle II?: Taiwan was forced to ground its entire fleet of Mirage 2000 fighters in September after a non-fatal crash during night training. This raises the question of whether Taipei needs a new squadron of fighters from the United States. One option would be the F-15EX Eagle II, a souped up version of the vaunted and combat-proven F-15E Strike Eagle. This would give Taiwan a stellar combination of air superiority and ability to stymie the large number of Chinese fighters that fly in Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone on a near weekly basis.
China Is Sprinting Ahead
Taiwan needs help. The Chinese have a new H-20 stealth bomber that will go into serial production later this decade or in the early 2030s. There is the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) J-20, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, and a new warplane with stealth attributes known as the J-35A. The PLAAF often exhibits an aerial show of force to overawe the Taiwanese repeatedly with patrols challenging the island’s defenses.
A Blockade or All-Out Amphibious Attack Is Possible
China would be apoplectic if the United States provided the F-15EX to the Taiwanese. It often cries out with frustration when the Americans send weapons systems to Taipei. However, the situation with the mainland is growing dire. During a naval quarantine or blockade, China could quickly establish air dominance and a no-fly zone over Taiwan. Then, China could create an amphibious attack while the friendly air force is cowed into submission. Taiwan needs a fighter to keep the PLAAF from winning a cross-border fight.
F-15EX Specs Make It a Hard-to-Kill Warbird
Enter the F-15EX. This bird is quite impressive, even though it is not stealthy. It is a multi-role warplane that can easily intercept enemy fighters. It has an enviable payload size, great range, and excellent speed.
The F-15EX will feature a modern suite of radars and sensors, a pilot-friendly cockpit, and a unique Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System for improved situational awareness.
The great thing about the F-15EX is its speed and propulsion. Two F110-GE-129 turbofan engines create excellent acceleration. The F-15EX can go from minimum power to maximum power in four seconds. The two engines push out 50,000 pounds of thrust with 750 gallons of fuel. The F-15EX can achieve MACH 2.5+.
The F-15EX Comes with a High Price
However, the F-15EX costs around $90 million to $97 million per fighter. Taiwan must decide how much it will invest in its air force. President-elect Donald Trump and his national security team are looking for ways for Taiwan to spend more on defense and improve its forces to thwart China. It is unclear if the United States would rescue Taiwan if there were a blockade or amphibious attack.
There is some speculation that Taiwan could also acquire the F-35. That purchase would surely make Xi Jinping furious. Even with the non-stealth F-15EX, China is likely to stage a massive military exercise designed to intimidate the Taiwanese should the F-15EX and F-35 be transferred to the island.
But Taiwan desperately needs a new fighter. The F-15EX would be a solid choice, especially paired with the F-35. Take a look at Israel’s experience with a recent attack on Iran. The Israelis used the F-35I, along with a force of F-16s and F-15Is, to attack deep into Iran. All airplanes returned without a scratch. The F-35I suppressed Iranian surface-to-air missile systems, and the non-stealth fighters streamed in with ground strikes on other military targets.
Taiwan could defend itself well against Chinese fighters and launch its own “bloody nose” attack against China with F-15EXs and F-35s.
It is unclear if Taiwan has the funds to buy both models, but Taipei could start with a small batch of F-15EXs and work its way up to purchasing the F-35. It is clear that Taiwan needs an upgrade from the Mirage 2000s. The stakes are high, and it is time for Taiwan to get serious about its defense.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
Zhduny
November 13, 2024 at 7:56 pm
Frankly, taiwan doesn’t NEED the incessant prick or multiple pricks in the behind in order for washington to pick a quarrel with xi jinping.
Taipei already manufactures the excellent (at least in the product’s title name) FCK ching-kuo fighter jet.
The FCK jet looks like a super nimble version of f-16, why bother with a large fighter like the f-15EX.
Instead of sending weapons to Taipei in order to start a quick quarrel, US could think of feasibility of issuing an arrest warrant for xi to account for fentanyl epidemic in US, especially in big cities like san francisco.
China doesn’t NEED Another japan to make life living HELL for the masses as, said by fdr, the people have always never done you any wrong.
But arrest warrants for xi totally okay as he think He’s the father x’mas internatinal.
pagar
November 13, 2024 at 8:32 pm
Mirage 2000 is a complete dud even though numerous highly vaunted south asian air force pundits admired it so much they produced a smaller or reduced size version called the tejas mark-1A wonder jet.
Mirage and mark-1As could however be very ideal for ukraine where they can cross swords with opposing fighters sporting non-AESA radars.
Eagle II also quite ideal but moscow always has ability to target the big fighter’s home airbase with its iskanders.
megiddo
November 13, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Donald trump has picked mike waltz as national security advisor and pete hegseth as secretary of defense.
Both waltz and hegseth are afghanistan vets and probably rather quite ‘youngish’ compared to the donald.
Let’s hope both won’t make the same mistakes made by sullivan & austin that strongly enabled joe biden to initiate the ukraine proxy war.
That proxy war could now easily evolve into ww3 as macron and starmer are today busily considering NATO direct involvement in the conflict.
Ww3 in europe 2025.
One-World-Order
November 13, 2024 at 10:35 pm
The world better be very extremely careful Today.
Today’s era really harks back to the days of eve of pearl harbor.Read below for details.
In early 1940s, america like djt wanted to be isolationist but some or a few wanted war.
So, in may 1940, roosevelt moved pacific fleet to hawaii, despite strong objections.
Then, in july 1940, he cut off certain shipments to japan, not to harm it or strangle it but to IRRITATE tokyo.
Tokyo fell for it and immediately occupied southern indochina, thus setting the first step for war with US.
At last, roosevelt didn’t need to pretrnd any longer. He froze jap assets (heh, Heh, exactly like now) and thus cut off their access to crucial or very vital US petroleum.
War was been written on japan.
As a final last step, roosevelt directed cordon hull to issue a harsh totally stunning slap in the face complete-jap-withdrawal-from-everywhere demand to tokyo.
The hull demand also known as the hull note was delivered in tokyo by US embassy on 27 november 1941.
Whether that was deliberate or coincidental, the world will never ever know.
But it cemented in solid concrete the fateful path to the opening shots of the pacific war.
That’s because when the hull demand was presented in tokyo, the almighty kido butai had already sailed from hitokappu bay. November 26 1941.
Commentar
November 14, 2024 at 2:19 am
The current apec meet in peru is allegedly being overshadowed by talk of trump’s forthcoming trade war, this according to media talk.
But There’s no talk about the increase in rushed supply of weapinry to ukraine.
OVER in ukraine, battle for kurakhove has begun, with russian troops already inside parts of eastern kurakhove.
Yet the losing ukro forces refuse to leave, due to encouragement from the west.
Russia MUST flatten ukro cities like odessa and lviv, in order to knock some sense into the minds of losers.
Before trump takes office.
Otherwise, ww3 in europe is a real possibility. In 2025.
404NotFound
November 14, 2024 at 2:58 am
Doc, ya excited over F-15EX ?
F-15 a pftt, go to zhuhai and see the real dual-use super high tech stuff a/k/a haolong unmanned space shuttle.
The haolong spaceplane or space shuttle certainly belongs in the dual-use category, a label often messily hurled at china.
Russia needs to request china to have russian personnel involved in the haolong project. Then moscow can abandon the creaking ISS !
404NotFound
November 14, 2024 at 4:09 am
Right now, US and russia are in serious disagreenent over continuing air leaks in the ISS.
According to NASA, the leaks will eventually result in a catastrophic failure of the russian module segment while the russian hotly deny this.
Whatever the result, it’s time to bail out of the ISS.
Russia needs to leave ISS pronto and start to develop spacebombers capable of dropping nukes from space.
bobb
November 14, 2024 at 4:49 am
F-15EX is 4.5 gen aircraft.
But assets like X-37B, CSSHQ and others are of the 7th or even 8th gen.
The baidu air-space hybrid aircraft is 6th gen although it currently exists in model form only.
For the coming pacific war which washington is believed now furiously planning, F-15EX will be like Su-35, relevant about ten years ago.
bobb
November 14, 2024 at 8:58 am
Trump has picked hegseth as the new DoD boss, so it means austin is out the door.
So is CQ brown, a former f-15 pilot. Brown is biden’s joint chiefs of staff, a role not unlike wartime germany’s hermann goering who was a former fokker d7 pilot.
Austin and brown are going out the door, so is milley.
All the woke reps are leaving.
The-Waiting-Ones
November 14, 2024 at 2:46 pm
Would be much better for joe biden to quickly now send a few or several f-35 stealth jets to Taipei.
That will send a cold shiver down xi jinping’s fat spine.
F-15s just won’t cut it. After all, china is secretly working on its new GDF-600 boost glide weapon that supposedly has the range to cover all of taiwan.
pagar
November 15, 2024 at 12:37 am
The world needs to shake off the mindset which dictates a nation lives or dies by how well its spitfires & mustangs perform.
We no longer live in a world dominated by spitfires & mustangs.
Heck, the world today buzzes with drones, from obsolete but still useful bayraktar drones to futuristic long-range 3,700km ghost bat drones.
Thus modern spitfires like f-15s and f-16s and mirages are secondary compared to drones AND ballistic missiles.
Which would you prefer to manufacture and store in underground caverns – f-15s or hwasong-19s & kn-3s & kamikaze drones.
PseudoExpertent
November 15, 2024 at 3:51 am
Trump is unlikely to sell super-sophisticated fighters like eagle II to Taipei.
That’s totally differrnt from joe biden who prefers to stir up others guys’ pots in faraway foreign place.
Trump is likely to demand what the hell’s going on in TMSC who grabbed precious US tech and now gobbling up all market share to the huge detriment of US companies.
403Forbidden
November 15, 2024 at 8:10 am
The stunning comeback by donald trump is a chance for various countries to adapt to a fresh new approach to pursue self-sufficiency.
Pursuing self-sufficiency is How north korea became world’s newest nuclear superpower, or a nuclear Israel of north-east asia.
Bravo, trump, Bravo.A winner !
403Forbidden
November 15, 2024 at 5:11 pm
Eagle I, eagle II, eagle III and others eagles or eagles, US military a paper tiger, except for its nuke forces.
Biden’s pet project in europe is unraveling as he prepared to leave the white house.
His woke generals, austin, chiefs of staff and others walking woke paraphenalia are being shown the exit door.
It’s finished for joe Biden’s woke fascism, his dreams of multi-colored rainbow emblazoned marines walking up china beaches.
Trump is the new president. No more woke fascism nonsense from US Military paper tigger.
jimmy
November 15, 2024 at 6:41 pm
Donald trump MUST use US military to fight the hidden enemy inside the united states, which is the democrat-LGBTQ-clinton-obama bloc.
For eternal adversaries, trump MUST use the US trade dept and US justice dept to fight unrestrained globalists, drug peddlars and father christmas wannabes.
The end of joe biden and co.
403Forbidden
November 15, 2024 at 8:25 pm
F-15EX is or has less combat effectiveness than comparable fighter jets like J-16 and dassault rafale.
And definitely a notch or two below j-20 and j-35.
One reason that can’t be ignored is those jets unlike eagle II have satcom links with overhead satellites like the jilin-1 e/o satellites.
That deficiency is why USAF hasn’t been too over enthusiastic with f-15EX.
It still greatly prefers f-35s.
403Forbidden
November 16, 2024 at 2:18 am
Eagle IIs should be sold to japan.
That is truly good because it’s likely to lead japan into violent confrontations with russian and chinese aircraft.
Once japs down a russian or chinese jet in danger, sparks will start to fly.
Thus the beginning of ww3 in north pacific. We’re waitin’..
pagar
November 16, 2024 at 3:31 pm
Donald trump is being confronted with various allegations concerning his new appointees but they will quickly blow over after he begins office jan 20
What trump now needs to do is raise some big HELL over the sept 2022 nordstream gaspupe explosions.
Commentar
November 16, 2024 at 11:25 pm
Extremely foolish for xi jinping to meet up with joe biden.
Biden is the woke-fascismo guy that has tried his hardest to internationalize the taiwan strait and even threatened direct war action if china ever invades Taipei.
Both xi and biden are clearly two unrestrained globalists and now it’s the grand job of trump to put both of them in their proper place.
Trump MUST demand xi to resign from his job and to provide details of How much grease money he gave to the corrupt biden family clan when big guy joe was out of office.
Trump Today has the honor to pursue two corrupt figures and hurl them both into clangers !
One-World-Order
November 17, 2024 at 4:35 am
Xi jinping is phuckin’ stupid.
Xi definitely no longer qualifies to be china’s leader.
Why meet with joe biden now, the dumb lame duck president, directly responsible for bankrolling the bloody bloody genocides in ukraine and gaza !!!
Xi needs to go to HELL. Now.
Jacksonian Libertarian
November 17, 2024 at 5:32 am
It is at times in the evolution of weapons where new weapons are being introduced, that casualties/deaths are at their worst.
As weapons evolve from the Industrial Age dumb weapons to the Information Age smart weapons, we can see the most extreme losses in personnel (hundreds of thousands of dead) in memory in the war in Ukraine.
This points to the logistics of where Taiwan must focus its resources.
Why buy manned aircraft whose “Air Superiority” role in the war doctrine has become obsolete? The fact is “Air Superiority” is possible only with overwhelming numbers of Drones that can empty the enemy’s air defenses of missiles, leaving the Drones to sweep the battlefield of enemy forces.
Taiwan would be wise to buy tens of thousands of anti-ship missiles and drones that can be used in that role and ignore obsolete weapons that cannot survive on the modern battlefield.
403Forbidden
November 17, 2024 at 3:53 pm
Doc, why the severe omission of new articles is the biden secret pilice watching over this webdite.
Latest is joe biden mad warmonger has given green light to neo-nazis to strike deep into russia usingong-range US & NATO weapons.
That means US & NATO personnel now directly participating in the ongoing fascistic campaign or military war against moscow.
Ww3 on the horizon ?
Nuclear ww3 in europe by jan 2025 ? Doc, your input please.
Zhduny
November 18, 2024 at 2:16 am
Biden at least (during personal period of lame-duckiness) is revealing his true colors, lustily thirsting hugely for more human blood.
Biden today in november 2024 is giving green light to ukro deep strikes in russia.
That could end up with ukraine at receiving end of russian doomsday weapinry.
But would biden care. Of course not. Not at all.
Chaos and mayhem and untold amounts of bloodletting are what he fully intends to leave behind for the incoming administration. Asmodeus !!!
403Forbidden
November 18, 2024 at 9:25 am
Joe biden is truly sneaky – as sneaky as the jap leader(s) who planned the infamous naval air strike on pearl harbor.
The japs could have avoided all-out war in the pacific by just using their real brains.
How. By trundling or barelling their way south right all the way to finky funky australia!
No need to touch pearl harbor.
No need at all.
But pure jap sneakiness trapped them in the ungodly ruinous taiheiyo senso.
Same with biden.
No need to be this sneaky. Trump already has solid plans to deal with ukraine dilemma.
Why plan to initiate some irreversible beginnings of ww3 in europe for trump to stitch himself in sixes and sevens.
Will USA benefit ?!
Did japs benefit from pearl?