Why The Air Force Is Sending F-15EXs To Seymour Johnson & Strike Eagles To A B-2 Stealth Base

In an ironic twist of fate, the next-generation F-22 Raptor air-dominance fighter was intended to replace the Air Force’s F-15C/D air-superiority fleet, but its cancellation in 2009 after a much smaller-than-planned production run ultimately left the Air Force dependent on aging Eagles. The Air Force subsequently returned to the Eagle with the F-15EX, which is now planned to replace the remaining F-15C/Ds and eventually begin recapitalizing the F-15E fleet. The Air Force currently plans to purchase 267 F-15EXs—more than the 187 F-22s it purchased and substantially more than the planned 185-plus 6th-generation Boeing F-47s.