Key Points and Summary – The F-15EX Eagle II is a burly “missile truck,” a fourth-generation-plus fighter whose greatest strength is its massive and versatile weapons payload.
-Capable of carrying 29,000 pounds of ordnance, the Eagle II can be armed with up to 22 air-to-air missiles—far more than an F-15E or F-16.
-Its arsenal includes advanced munitions like the StormBreaker smart bomb and JASSM cruise missiles.
-While not a stealth aircraft, the F-15EX is designed as a “Day Two” weapon, intended to overwhelm the enemy with sheer firepower once advanced air defenses have been neutralized.
F-15EX Eagle II’s Weapons Load Is Impressive
The F-15EX Eagle II is one burly fighter.
It is a fourth-generation “+” or “++” airplane with many attributes that make it handy in a potential dog-fight and a stalwart beast when it comes to armaments.
The F-15EX is a hardy missile truck whose weapons load makes it one of the best new fighters in the U.S. Air Force fleet.
Let’s take a look at how this warbird can be armed because that will give you an idea of just how powerful it is and why it is worth every penny. The F-15EX can carry a payload of 29,000 pounds.
Always in Beast Mode
This features the AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, the StormBreaker smart weapon, JDAMs, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs, AGM-158 JASSM, and the internal M61A1 Vulcan cannon.
StormBreaker Penetrates All Weather Conditions
You may not be familiar with the StormBreaker smart bomb.
This is a winged weapon that can take on moving targets in all types of weather. It can pierce through adverse conditions like dust and snowstorms.
StormBreaker is a laser-designated weapon that allows Air Force combat controllers to bring it in danger close to surface targets that are menacing friendly forces in close air support situations.
JASSM Punishes Targets on the Ground
The JASSM is the second weapon you may need more information about. JASSM stands for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. JASSM is a long-range cruise missile.
It is suitable for taking on reinforced ground emplacements. JASSM has been deployed for 24 years and was instrumental in destroying challenging targets during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs) are also precision-guided munitions. They can also hit mobile targets such as tanks, armored personnel carriers, and self-propelled artillery pieces. SDBs are air-launched and glide down to their target with an internal navigation system.
The F-15EX can carry multiple SDBs to alleviate threats when friendly soldiers are in danger.
F-15EX Eagle II: Beyond Visual Range Killers
The F-15EX can carry up to 12 AMRAAM medium to long-range beyond-visual-range missiles. The Eagle II can launch up to 22 rockets in total.
By comparison, the F-15E Strike Eagle can carry only eight air-to-air missiles. Even an F-16 Fighting Falcon can launch just six longer-range air-to-air missiles.
The F-15EX has four wing pylons and 23 external hardpoints. It is simply in beast mode at all times. In the future, it will feature the AIM-260 JATM. This is the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, and it is a barn burner that F-15EX pilots will love to employ against the enemy.
Reserve Pilots Have a Munitions-Packed Hot Rod
The Eagle II has the capacity to launch hypersonic weapons, which will make it that much more lethal. The Air Force has much to look forward to with the Eagle II.
And it is not just active duty pilots.
The F-15EX will also be flown by Air National Guard pilots nationwide. This will be a thrill for reserve aviators who have flown older model F-15s and F-16s over the years.
The F-15EX allows the Air Force to have an operational and tactical advantage over the enemy. Those who fly the F-15 family of jets will be well-prepared to operate the Eagle II, and the hefty load of munitions gives aviators confidence that they can overwhelm the enemy in the air and on the ground.
The airplane is technologically sound aside from the weapons loadout. It has next-generation sensors and radars for effective situational awareness and survivability. There are digital fly-by-wire controls. Electronic warfare is also an area where the Eagle II has made significant improvements.
No Stealth, No Problem
While the F-15EX is not stealthy, it makes up for it in maneuverability. The airplane will be good for a potential fight against China should the United States elect to intervene in hostilities that involve Taiwan. However, its lack of stealth means that it will be a Day Two or Day Three airplane that comes in once the Air Force has air superiority in combat. It reminds me of F-15Is and F-16Is that the Israeli air force uses once they have suppressed enemy air defenses.
The F-15EX can be forward-deployed to Andersen Air Base in Guam. In July, the airplane participated in the Resolute Force Pacific 2025 military exercise that gave pilots and ground crews a taste of simulated combat in East Asia.
This is one way to send the Chinese a message that the Air Force can also challenge air assets flown by the People’s Republic.
In all, the Eagle II has many advantages, especially with its weapons loadout.
The F-15EX is naturally a bomb and missile truck that is meant to overwhelm the enemy after air defenses are neutralized.
Pilots will have more and more confidence as they adjust to the warbird and familiarize themselves with innovative additions to the base model F-15s.
This airplane comes at the right time to give the U.S. military a strategic, operational, and tactical advantage.
About the Author: 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 US 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 US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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