The picture shows the F-15EX installing a suitable fuel tank (next to the engine inlet). (Picture taken from X@Memiltary)
[Reporter Wu Zheyu/Comprehensive Report] The U.S. Air Force's new generation F-15EX "Eagle II" fighter continues to expand its combat capabilities. Recently, a photographer photographed at Portland International Airport that the F-15EX of the 142nd Oregon Air Militia Wing carried out a flight mission with a conformal fuel tank (CFT) for the first time. This configuration can not only increase the range and weapon mounting capacity, but also shows that the US military is gradually expanding the F-15EX from its original mission of air superiority and homeland defense to long-range ground strike to meet future combat needs in the Pacific.
The military news website "The War Zone" reported that the Oregon Air Force China Militia confirmed that two F-15EXs are currently using conformal fuel tanks provided by the Air Combat Command and have been flying in the approved configuration for about 2 weeks. One of them is among the first batch of mass-produced models to be delivered starting in 2024. The conformable fuel tank on the fuselage can also be seen in the emblem of the 366th Fighter Wing stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base.
The F-15EX uses conformal fuel tanks that are compatible with the F-15E "Strike Eagle". Each vehicle can carry about 750 US gallons, about 2,839 liters of fuel, and has 6 additional weapon hardpoints. Compared with the traditional 600-gallon under-wing auxiliary fuel tank, it not only has a larger fuel capacity, but also reduces the occupation of attachment points and air resistance under certain flight conditions. However, the conformal fuel tank cannot be discarded in flight and will still affect maneuverability.
The US military originally planned for the F-15EX to replace the F-15C/D and mainly perform air-to-air and homeland defense missions. Therefore, it did not allocate funds for conformal fuel tanks for the first batch of active fighters. However, as combat needs change, the U.S. Air Force's fiscal year 2027 budget has requested that all 24 F-15EXs in the 8th batch be equipped with conformal fuel tanks.
Notably, conformable fuel tanks are particularly important for Pacific operations. Due to the vast area of the area, forward base and aerial tanker support may be limited. Increasing the internal fuel capacity can allow the F-15EX to extend the patrol distance and increase the airborne time, while retaining more weapons mounting space.
In addition, the 142nd Wing has continued to conduct ground attack training at Mountain Home Air Force Base in recent years. In July this year, it dropped training bombs for the first time, and in September, Nellis Air Force Base completed its first live bomb drop, showing that the F-15EX is gradually increasing its air-to-ground strike missions.
The U.S. Air Force also plans to add a Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) to the F-15EX to improve battlefield survivability. As the US military prepares to replace some of its old F-15Es, the scheduled purchase scale of F-15EX has also expanded from 129 to 267, and as of September this year, 22 have been received.
Analysis points out that the F-15EX has the advantages of a large payload and long-range flight. When equipped with a conformal fuel tank, it will be able to further balance air superiority and ground attack missions, becoming an important platform for the US military's future long-range operations.
