Key Points and Summary on F-15EX Eagle II – In a significant show of force aimed at China, the U.S. Air Force has deployed its new F-15EX Eagle II fighters to Kadena Air Base in Japan for the first time.
-The advanced jets are participating in the massive “Resolute Force Pacific 2025” exercise, a drill designed to test the Air Force’s ability to generate airpower at scale and speed.
-The F-15EX, armed with long-range missiles and capable of carrying hypersonic weapons, is replacing the aging F-15C/D fleet at Kadena, giving the U.S. a more potent and flexible platform to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific.
The F-15EX Eagle II Is Ready for China
The U.S. Air Force has taken a step toward modernizing its forward-deployed airpower in the Pacific, sending two of its newest F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.
The aircraft arrived on July 12 for training exercises aimed at integrating the advanced jets with local units stationed at the base.
The F-15EXs, flown in from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, will now be used in a period of familiarization training. It marks the beginning of the long-anticipated transition from the decades-old F-15C/D models to a more advanced and capable fleet.
Since 2022, Kadena has hosted a rotation of various U.S. fighter aircraft, including fifth-generation F-22 Raptors and F-35s, as well as fourth-generation F-15Es and F-16s.
The rotation, designed to maintain military readiness in the region, began when the Air Force announced plans to phase out the 48 F-15C/Ds that were stationed in Okinawa for almost fifty years.
The arrival of the Eagle IIs signals a new era for Kadena, which has long been a linchpin of U.S. power projection in the Indo-Pacific.
Located just 400 miles from Taiwan, the base is a strategically vital hub at a time of increasing tensions in the region.
The full deployment of 36 F-15EXs is scheduled for spring of next year.
What is the F-15?
The F-15 is one of the most successful fighter aircraft platforms in U.S. Air Force history. Developed in the 1970s, the original F-15 was built for air superiority but has since evolved into a multi-role workhorse.
The F-15EX is the most modern iteration of the platform.
The single- and twin-seat F-15C and D fighters have dominated the skies since the late 1970s, with more than 100 air-to-air victories and no combat losses. The F-15E Strike Eagle, introduced in the 1980s, added precision ground-attack capabilities. The plane was designed to accommodate a second crew member and can carry both nuclear and conventional payloads.
F-15Es have flown in every major U.S. conflict since Desert Storm, including a record-setting 15.5-hour combat sortie during the Iraq War in 2003.
First unveiled in 2021, the F-15EX includes fly-by-wire controls, cutting-edge radar technology, and an open mission architecture that makes upgrades easier and faster to complete.
The new model is also capable of carrying up to 28 air-to-air missiles and a wide range of other munitions.
The F-15EX is ideal for Indo-Pacific missions thanks to its overall flexibility, speed, and payload capabilities.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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