The F-15EX fighter jet demonstrates a vertical “Viking” departure during its first flight on Feb. 2, 2021 | Image: Boeing/Eric Shindelbower
Just a few hours after the first flight of the F-15EX, U.S. aviation giant Boeing will be participating in the biennial Aero India 2021 airshow to be held in Bengaluru, pitching the fighter to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Speaking to StratPost, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager, Pratyush Kumar said, “We have not, so far, been marketing or talking to the Indian Air Force about the platform, other than what was conveyed from air force-to-air force and government-to-government channels. So, Aero India is a good opportunity for us to start talking about the platform with the stakeholders – that’s the goal. We’ll certainly make presentations and inform them about the platform.”
This comes after the company received a licence from the U.S. government to market the aircraft to India in October-November 2020. The F-15 is at the heavy end of the current offerings for the IAF’s contest, along with the Russian Sukhoi-35. Five other aircraft are in play: Saab Gripen, Lockheed Martin F-21, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter, in addition to the Boeing F/A-18.
First Flight
Get an EX-cellent view of the #F15EX as it takes to the skies during its first flight. We'll be delivering the first two jets to the @USAirForce soon. #ReadyAF pic.twitter.com/80cDgVoYKL
— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) February 2, 2021
According to a Boeing statement, ‘The F-15EX fighter jet completed its first flight today, paving the way for the early delivery of the first two jets to the U.S. Air Force later this quarter. The jet took off and landed from St. Louis Lambert International Airport, completing a 90-minute test flight before returning to the airport.’
Boeing said, “Modern variants of the F-15 also include fly-by-wire flight controls, an all-new digital cockpit, modern AESA radar and the ADCP-II, the world’s fastest mission computer. The F-15EX, the most advanced version to date, features the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System electronic warfare system to improve mission effectiveness and survivability for operators.”
According to Kumar, the company can now begin formal discussions with the IAF to provide information about the aircraft for the IAF’s 114 Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) competition.
“The F-15 is an iconic, undefeated platform,” said Kumar. “It’s got a 104-to-zero kill ratio. It offers unquestioned air superiority on a multi-role aircraft. You take that heritage and you take that outer-mold line, and you completely upgrade it inside out.”
The F-15EX might look like the older models, but Boeing says it incorporates brand new capabilities.
“With the fastest mission computer on any fighter jet out there, with a large area display – ten by nineteen – it gives unparalleled situational awareness to the fighter pilot. From sensors such as the most powerful radar out there, and a highly capable and contemporary electronic warfare system – if you combine all that, F-15 has been a force to reckon with and it is today a very relevant and very capable aircraft,” said Kumar.
“Our endeavour is to inform the Indian Air Force about the contemporary capability of the F-15 – as my test pilots remind me: ‘It’s not your dad’s F-15 – it’s a brand new F-15’,” said Kumar.
What about the F/A-18 Super Hornet?
Boeing had, so far, been offering the F/A-18 Super Hornet to the IAF. Kumar says the aircraft eventually offered by the company and the U.S. government will depend on the eventual Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs) laid down by the IAF in the Request For Proposal (RFP).
“At this point of time, there is not an “offer” because the only thing that was offered was the F/A-18 and at this point of time, we’re informing the air force that, ‘Hey, you have one more option like the F-15’. They’ll have to decide the ASQRs and based on that we’ll the choose the platform that best meets those ASQRs and go forward with that,” explained Kumar.
But, Kumar clarified, “At this point of time, it is premature to say that it’s replacing the F/A-18. But one thing I can tell you that when the actual RFP comes out, we won’t be fielding both jets. We’ll field one, based on the SQRs that fit the jets best.”
The F/A-18 Super Hornet is also being offered to the Indian Navy for its 57 Multi Role Carrier Borne Fighter (MRCBF) program.
Make in India?
Boeing is also prepared to comply with any conditions for indigenisation laid down in the Indian acquisition process. The IAF’s acquisition of 114 fighters is one of the four Strategic Partnership programs under Chapter 07 of the Defence Acquisition Procedure.
“We’re prepared to sell the way India wants to buy and we will take it one step at a time. We’ll respond to the RFI/RFP issued that defines the acquisition method,” said Kumar.
“If the acquisition method is a certain level of indigenisation in this country, we are very prepared. If anybody has the depth and breath of industrial awareness and preparedness, it’s us. We are currently sourcing a billion dollars worth of aerospace equipment from India,” said Kumar.
“We have a very vast network of suppliers based in the country. We have built partnerships with them and we’re prepared to go the distance to achieve that level of indigenisation, if that’s the way the air force wants to do it,” he said.
Relevance
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has ordered the first eight aircraft – a number that could go up to 200 aircraft at a cost of USD 23 billion. The first two aircraft are expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2021.
“The U.S. Air Force has paced a USD 23 billion dollar Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) order last year. The first delivery order is for eight jets. It can go up to 200 jets if they want to, under the IDIQ order. So that keeps the production line going well into the 2030s and if you add on top of that, the 25-year mission requirement, you’re talking about the F-15 being very relevant in well into the mid-2050s maybe 2060s. So, in terms of longevity, there’s an unmatched opportunity to keep the platform refreshed,” said Kumar.
“The amount of computing power in the jet allows you to keep inserting new technology in the future. And all those things have to be factored in when air forces around the world consider their acquisition requirement.”
Rafale Challenge
With the IAF’s current order for 36 Dassault Rafale fighters and with 11 aircraft delivered (the latest three aircraft were delivered last week), Kumar also accepts IAF’s order for the Dassault Rafale might give the French aircraft an advantage.
“Any time you already have a foot in the door, you have an advantage. So the fact that Rafale is being acquired by the Indian Air Force, the fact that some of the NREs (Non-Recurring Expenditure – sunk costs on one-time expenditure on infrastructure) have been paid – you can’t dismiss it. They’ll certainly have an advantage in terms of the economics. No question about that.”
But he also pointed out, “It’s the net of capability and the life cycle affordability of the platform – the total cost of acquisition along with capability – that’s what the air force will have to evaluate. We’re very confident given the scale of our production given the lifecycle cost of operating this aircraft, the F-15 will be competitive. But having said that, there’s no denying the fact that the Rafale is already being acquired by the Indian Air Force – they have the advantage of burning down some of their NREs, so we’ll have to work extra hard to overcome those advantages that the Rafale has.”
Regional Fit
Kumar also thinks the F-15 would fit well into India’s long-term defence requirements.
“Look at the Indo-Pacific region. How are people in the Indo-Pacific region thinking about countering contemporary and emerging threats. It’s the range, it’s the payload, it’s speed – range is a big factor. So if you look at our current customer base for F-15, who do you have? You have US, you have Japan, you have Korea, you have Singapore. It certainly fits in that defence posture and the F-15 remains pretty relevant in that theatre, he said, adding, “Capability-wise, just look at the payload. 29,000 pounds of weapons payload, 1200 nautical miles of combat radius and 2.5 mach. There’s nothing even close to this performance,” he said.
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