| Israel prepares a fleet of F-15EX fighters to wait for Su-35 Iran |
According to a report from Breaking Defense, the Israeli Ministry of Defense has made an official request to purchase 25 Boeing fighter F-15EX Eagle II from the US, in addition orders can even be doubled.
A Formal Letter of Request (LOR) was sent to Washington by the Israeli government last week. The aforementioned document is the first step in the Military Sales to Foreign process led by the US Department of Defense (DoD’s), after which quantity and price details will be negotiated.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) already operates the F-15 Eagle – originally produced by McDonnell Douglass before the company merged with the aerospace giant Boeing since 1977.
The IAF is in service at 84 F-15 . aircraft belonging to the A/B/C/D/I variants. These are twin-engine fighters, operating in all weather conditions, and are one of the most successful fighters in history, with more than 100 victories and no loss in battles. no war so far.
Given that the IAF has a long history of operating the F-15, it makes sense that Tel Aviv would seek to acquire an upgraded variant of the F-15EX Eagle II, which is currently being tested in the United States Air Force (USAF). ).
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| The Israeli Air Force wants more F-15EX fighters to coordinate with the F-35. |
In 2020, the Israeli government sought to purchase more Boeing F-15 fighters along with the F-35 Lighting II built by Lockheed Martin. The IAF is the first foreign customer of the fifth-generation stealth fighter, and the only country to have the modified F-35I Adir – a variant exclusively for them with advanced avionics. non-domestic (EWS).
Israel does not disclose the size of its fleet of military aircraft, but it is believed to have around 600 aircraft – including fighters, transport planes and helicopters. Due to recent budget cuts and the need for some older aircraft to retire, the fleet has shrunk considerably.
Among them is the F-16A/B Netz, which was retired at the end of 2016 after they have served for nearly 36 years. Some fighters were sold to the US, while others were “transferred” to Canada. The aforementioned Fighting Falcons will be used as training aircraft.
The number of F-16s that have been retired is being replaced by F-35s, Israel currently has three squadrons, but the country’s military officials warned last summer that many fighters are about to retire in the very future. close and if new aircraft are not ordered, the IAF will continue to have to downsize.
Given the threats Israel faces in the Middle East – including from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program – the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) need to maintain their priorities. superiority above.
This means that Israel must have the largest, most powerful and most advanced air force in the Middle East. The F-35 – as the world’s most advanced fighter is helping to ensure it maintains its edge, the Lightning II can even carry a wide range of weapons even in stealth mode.
However, the F-15EX is still a good solution for the IAF. According to Boeing Corporation, the Eagle II “carrys more weapons than any fighter in its class and can deploy hypersonic weapons up to 22 feet long and 7,000 pounds in weight.”
In addition to the IAF wanting to buy 25 F-15EX fighters, it can also upgrade an equivalent number from its F-15I variant to the same avionics configuration. It is clear that the F-15EX and the F-35I can coordinate well in a conflict with an opponent like Iran, especially when Tehran is about to receive the Su-35S from Russia.
F-35I in stealth mode can hit hard and disable enemy air defenses, while F-15EXs with a huge amount of weapons will “clean up the battlefield”.