9. Boeing F-15EX, USA
Manufacturers: McDonnell Douglas, Boeing Defense, Space, and Security
Primary Users: U.S. Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, Israeli Air Force (F-15E), U.S. Air Force (F-15EX)
Program Cost: $1.27 billion per year* Unit Cost: $31.1 million*
The Boeing F-15EX is a variant of the F-15 Strike Eagle. Made by a collaborative effort between Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, the F-15E was designed in the 1980s for high-speed, long-range interdiction without having to rely on an escort or on electronic warfare planes. The Strike Eagles are different from other Eagle variants, as they have CFTs on the intake ramps, a tandem-seat cockpit, and darker camouflage.
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The F-15EX came about in 2018. This single-seat variant was intended to replace the F-15Cs and Ds. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense requested a little over $1 billion in the budget to produce these new planes. The EX made its first flight in 2021, and it was delivered to the Air Force the next month.
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