Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in US Presidential elections. He also became the 46th president of the United States. Weeks after assuming office as the 46th President of the US, Joe Biden has extended a hand of friendship towards India.
The new jet, called the F-15EX, was developed by aerospace giant Boeing, and is being offered to India by the US. Biden has approved to give state-of-the-art combat aircraft F-15EX to the Indian Air Force and soon, the IAF will be flying America’s most advanced combat aircraft. The aircraft has been called the most advanced version of the F-15 fighter ever.
This is indeed great news for all the citizens of India, however, this news will surely leave Pakistan & China in shock. If India gets this multi-role combat aircraft, it will be a nightmare for China and Pakistan.
Maria H Laine, vice president of International Strategic Partnerships for Boeing Defense, confirmed the development. She said, “There was a discussion between the governments of India and America. Air forces of the two countries exchanged information about the F-15EX.”
“The US government has accepted our license request to deliver F-15 EX aircraft to India,” she said.
In its official statement, Boeing said, “The F-15EX aircraft will be showcased at Aero India 2021 starting in Bengaluru next week.”
The F-15EX fighter jet was exhibited in Bengaluru during the Aero India 2021, where it took its historic first flight on Wednesday (February 3). The 13th edition of Aero India was held from 3 to 5 February 2021 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bangalore, Karnataka.
“Check out the #F15EX as it makes its historic first flight. F-15EX is built on a digital thread, allowing it to also serve as a testbed to incorporate future tech and capability for the @USAirForce,” said Boeing in a tweet post its flight.
PTI quoted Laine as saying that they started to have more discussions after the license request was approved by the US government to offer the F-15EX fighter jets to India.
“It certainly sends a powerful signal when the US government makes a commitment to a platform like this that they’re in it or the long haul and are showing faith and confidence in the capability and price point of the F-15EX piques interest in the US and around the world,” Laine said in the interview.
Laine further said in the interview that the air force of the US had given an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to Boeing in July 2020 with a ceiling value of about USD 23 billion.
Boeing claims that the F-15 fighter plane has so far targeted more than 100 enemy aircraft in several wars. The US Airforce claims that the F-15EX fighter aircraft is different from its older version in every respect.
In terms of loaded weight and dimensions, the F-15EX is significantly larger than the Super Hornet and Rafale. Boeing claims the F-15EX can carry over 13 tonnes of weapons and fuel under its wings and fuselage, which is well over the Rafale’s publicised payload capacity of 9.5 tonnes. Boeing claims a single F-15EX can carry up to 22 air-to-air missiles, far more than any fighter in production now.
It is to be noted that the F-15EX is the updated version of the F-15E Strike Eagle of the US. It is a multi-role combat aircraft, which is supposed to be the latest and the most advanced version of the F-15 aircraft group. The F-15 aircraft are known for their multi-role, all-weather, and day and night versions.
