Saudi Arabia weighs U.S. F-15EX and F-35 fighter jets to build Middle East’s most powerful air force
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
At the Dubai Airshow 2025, Boeing is presenting the F-15EX as a primary candidate in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing fighter assessment, citing high compatibility with existing F-15SA and F-15SR fleets.
As reported by Aviation Week on November 16, 2025, Saudi Arabia is once again at the center of Boeing’s export strategy as the company promotes the F-15EX Eagle II as a candidate for the Kingdom’s next fighter jet review. Ahead of the Dubai Airshow, Boeing indicated that it aims to secure new F-15EX orders in the Middle East and that Saudi Arabia remains a primary focus for both upgrades of existing F-15C/D airframes and possible new-build acquisitions. This proposal occurs within a broader Saudi search that also weighs the European Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale, as well as a potential approval for an F-35 acquisition, depending on political conditions.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Development of the F-15EX Eagle II accelerated in the late 2010s when the US Air Force faced structural fatigue issues in aging F-15C/D aircraft and sought a rapid solution that could complement fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 and F-35. (Picture source: US Air Force)
Boeing stated that the F-15EX offers around 95 percent commonality with Saudi Arabia’s existing F-15SA and F-15SR fleets, covering infrastructure, training devices, simulators and pilot transition requirements, which would reduce the need for new investment and facilitate integration into Royal Saudi Air Force operations. The company also referenced the recent completion of F-15QA deliveries to Qatar and noted that this maintains the Advanced Eagle production line for further customers. Company officials explained that the aircraft is being offered both as a replacement for Saudi Arabia’s aging F-15C/D fleet acquired during the 1980s and as a potential complement or upgrade path for the F-15SA and F-15SR aircraft already in service.
Saudi interest in the F-15EX was publicly acknowledged for the first time in early 2024, during the World Defense Show in Riyadh, when Boeing confirmed that discussions with the Kingdom about a possible F-15EX procurement were already underway. Since then, figures such as 54 or 60 potential F-15EX aircraft have been cited by various sources, although no confirmed contract exists. Boeing also linked the offer to the heavy operational burden placed on Saudi F-15s and Typhoons in recent years due to counter-drone missions, cruise missile interception tasks, and long-range strike operations connected to the conflict with Houthi forces in Yemen and regional tensions with Iran.
Boeing and Saudi media emphasized that the F-15EX proposal includes industrial cooperation aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which intends to localize more than half of national defense spending and expand the domestic military industrial base. Statements from Boeing officials in mid-2025 described the F-15EX as an aircraft around which manufacturing, maintenance, overhaul, and upgrade activity could be integrated inside the Kingdom through cooperation with Saudi Arabian Military Industries. The company referenced technology transfer, simulation-based training programs, and advanced technical instruction for Saudi personnel as part of the long-term framework. Boeing also stated that it is exploring the integration of Saudi firms into elements of the global F-15EX supply chain, while planning to double F-15EX annual production by 2026.
These industrial proposals are presented alongside the Kingdom’s interest in other enabler aircraft, including KC-46 tankers, P-8 Poseidon aircraft, E-7 airborne early warning systems, and rotary wing platforms such as the CH-47 Chinook, which continues to shape Riyadh’s overall modernization approach. Saudi interest in the F-35, which has been discussed intermittently since 2017, continues to influence the potential F-15 procurement, as it is considered a more immediately accessible option that can expand long-range and high payload capacity while the political and export conditions for a fifth-generation acquisition are still under negotiation.
Saudi Arabia’s historical relationship with the Eagle family explains why the F-15EX is considered a natural candidate within its modernization process. The Kingdom began acquiring F-15C/D aircraft in the late 1970s and expanded its fleet through a 2011 order for 84 new-build F-15SA aircraft, while also upgrading older F-15S strike fighters into the F-15SR configuration through local retrofit programs. Much of the structural and systems development work for the F-15SA formed the technical basis for later Advanced Eagle variants, including the F-15QA and ultimately the F-15EX. In November 2020, the Kingdom also signed a $9.8 billion modernization contract to upgrade Saudi F-15S and F-15SA aircraft, with work expected to conclude by late 2025. The current fighter competition must also take into account the presence of 72 Eurofighter Typhoons in Saudi service and long-running negotiations for 48 additional Typhoons, which remain blocked by export approval issues within the European consortium. Discussions about a possible Rafale order involving around 54 aircraft have emerged, adding further complexity to Riyadh’s long-term combat aircraft planning.
The F-15EX Eagle II represents the latest iteration of the Advanced Eagle lineage, which began with the Saudi F-15SA in 2013 and continued with the Qatari F-15QA in 2020. Its selection by the United States Air Force in the late 2010s resulted from the need to recapitalize aging F-15C/D fighters after the planned F-22 production run was curtailed and as delays affected F-35 fielding. Studies conducted in 2018 concluded that a two-seat Advanced Eagle derivative could be integrated more rapidly and at lower non-recurring cost than restarting older production lines or developing a new platform. The F-15EX first flew on 2 February 2021 and entered operational USAF service in July 2024 after a test campaign that included weapons separation trials, electronic warfare assessments, and integration with fifth-generation aircraft. As of today, current operators of Advanced Eagle variants of the F-15 include the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, while Israel ordered F-15IAs based on the EX configuration and plans to upgrade 25 F-15I aircraft. International interest has continued, with Indonesia, Egypt, Poland, and Thailand considering Advanced Eagle variants.
The structural and systems design of the F-15EX is characterized by a reinforced airframe with a projected lifespan of approximately 20,000 flight hours, a digital fly-by-wire flight control system that replaces earlier hybrid controls, and a revised wing that allows activation of outboard stations previously unused due to stability limits. Its avionics include the Raytheon AN/APG 82(V)1 active electronically scanned array radar, the BAE Systems Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System, and the Advanced Display Core Processor II mission computer, which supports open architecture upgrades. The cockpit incorporates large area displays for the pilot and weapons systems officer, while the aircraft can also carry infrared search and track sensors and targeting pods for strike roles. These systems allow the F-15EX to perform air defense, escort, strike, no-fly zone enforcement, and standoff weapons delivery at significant ranges, depending on configuration and mission planning.
The F-15EX measures around 19.45 meters in length with a wingspan of 13.05 meters and a height of 5.64 meters, while the wing area is about 56.5 square meters. Empty weight figures around 14,500 kilograms are commonly cited, and maximum take-off weight is approximately 36,700 to 37,000 kilograms, although some figures expressed in pounds reach about 81,000. Propulsion is provided by either General Electric F110 GE 129 engines or Pratt and Whitney F100 PW 229 engines, allowing speeds close to Mach 2.5 and operations at altitudes up to around 18,000 meters. Combat radius values commonly exceed 1,200 kilometers when conformal fuel tanks and external stores are used, while ferry range with external tanks can exceed 3,000 kilometers. Flight control improvements allow high-g maneuvering and increased tolerance for asymmetric loadouts encountered during air-to-air or strike missions.
The F-15EX retains an internal M61A1 20 millimeter cannon and can carry a wide range of missiles and guided munitions across numerous underwing, fuselage, and conformal tank-mounted hardpoints, which some sources count as more than twenty. Air-to-air configurations can include up to twelve AIM-120 missiles in standard layouts, and expanded rack concepts have been proposed for higher missile counts, although these remain at the demonstration stage. For strike missions, the aircraft can carry small diameter bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munitions, anti-radiation missiles, cruise missiles such as the AGM 158 series, and potential hypersonic weapons, including the AGM 183, depending on future integration. Boeing characterizes the payload capacity at roughly 13,300 kilograms, which allows long-range standoff strike profiles and supports the aircraft’s role as a complement to stealth platforms in complex operations.
The F-15 Advanced Eagle line has operated continuously since the introduction of Saudi F-15SA aircraft in 2011, followed by Qatari F-15QA deliveries. The F-15EX program began with an order for eight aircraft valued at about $1.2 billion and expanded through additional funding cycles, including twelve aircraft budgeted at roughly $1.23 billion in fiscal year 2021. Although initial planning considered up to 144 aircraft, later adjustments placed the projected USAF fleet at around 104 aircraft, with more recent planning showing totals near 129, depending on fiscal year allocations. The first F-15EX aircraft were delivered to Eglin Air Force Base in 2021 and then transferred to operational units such as the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing, which declared initial operational capability in July 2024.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
At the Dubai Airshow 2025, Boeing is presenting the F-15EX as a primary candidate in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing fighter assessment, citing high compatibility with existing F-15SA and F-15SR fleets.
As reported by Aviation Week on November 16, 2025, Saudi Arabia is once again at the center of Boeing’s export strategy as the company promotes the F-15EX Eagle II as a candidate for the Kingdom’s next fighter jet review. Ahead of the Dubai Airshow, Boeing indicated that it aims to secure new F-15EX orders in the Middle East and that Saudi Arabia remains a primary focus for both upgrades of existing F-15C/D airframes and possible new-build acquisitions. This proposal occurs within a broader Saudi search that also weighs the European Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale, as well as a potential approval for an F-35 acquisition, depending on political conditions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Development of the F-15EX Eagle II accelerated in the late 2010s when the US Air Force faced structural fatigue issues in aging F-15C/D aircraft and sought a rapid solution that could complement fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 and F-35. (Picture source: US Air Force)
Boeing stated that the F-15EX offers around 95 percent commonality with Saudi Arabia’s existing F-15SA and F-15SR fleets, covering infrastructure, training devices, simulators and pilot transition requirements, which would reduce the need for new investment and facilitate integration into Royal Saudi Air Force operations. The company also referenced the recent completion of F-15QA deliveries to Qatar and noted that this maintains the Advanced Eagle production line for further customers. Company officials explained that the aircraft is being offered both as a replacement for Saudi Arabia’s aging F-15C/D fleet acquired during the 1980s and as a potential complement or upgrade path for the F-15SA and F-15SR aircraft already in service.
Saudi interest in the F-15EX was publicly acknowledged for the first time in early 2024, during the World Defense Show in Riyadh, when Boeing confirmed that discussions with the Kingdom about a possible F-15EX procurement were already underway. Since then, figures such as 54 or 60 potential F-15EX aircraft have been cited by various sources, although no confirmed contract exists. Boeing also linked the offer to the heavy operational burden placed on Saudi F-15s and Typhoons in recent years due to counter-drone missions, cruise missile interception tasks, and long-range strike operations connected to the conflict with Houthi forces in Yemen and regional tensions with Iran.
Boeing and Saudi media emphasized that the F-15EX proposal includes industrial cooperation aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which intends to localize more than half of national defense spending and expand the domestic military industrial base. Statements from Boeing officials in mid-2025 described the F-15EX as an aircraft around which manufacturing, maintenance, overhaul, and upgrade activity could be integrated inside the Kingdom through cooperation with Saudi Arabian Military Industries. The company referenced technology transfer, simulation-based training programs, and advanced technical instruction for Saudi personnel as part of the long-term framework. Boeing also stated that it is exploring the integration of Saudi firms into elements of the global F-15EX supply chain, while planning to double F-15EX annual production by 2026.
These industrial proposals are presented alongside the Kingdom’s interest in other enabler aircraft, including KC-46 tankers, P-8 Poseidon aircraft, E-7 airborne early warning systems, and rotary wing platforms such as the CH-47 Chinook, which continues to shape Riyadh’s overall modernization approach. Saudi interest in the F-35, which has been discussed intermittently since 2017, continues to influence the potential F-15 procurement, as it is considered a more immediately accessible option that can expand long-range and high payload capacity while the political and export conditions for a fifth-generation acquisition are still under negotiation.
Saudi Arabia’s historical relationship with the Eagle family explains why the F-15EX is considered a natural candidate within its modernization process. The Kingdom began acquiring F-15C/D aircraft in the late 1970s and expanded its fleet through a 2011 order for 84 new-build F-15SA aircraft, while also upgrading older F-15S strike fighters into the F-15SR configuration through local retrofit programs. Much of the structural and systems development work for the F-15SA formed the technical basis for later Advanced Eagle variants, including the F-15QA and ultimately the F-15EX. In November 2020, the Kingdom also signed a $9.8 billion modernization contract to upgrade Saudi F-15S and F-15SA aircraft, with work expected to conclude by late 2025. The current fighter competition must also take into account the presence of 72 Eurofighter Typhoons in Saudi service and long-running negotiations for 48 additional Typhoons, which remain blocked by export approval issues within the European consortium. Discussions about a possible Rafale order involving around 54 aircraft have emerged, adding further complexity to Riyadh’s long-term combat aircraft planning.
The F-15EX Eagle II represents the latest iteration of the Advanced Eagle lineage, which began with the Saudi F-15SA in 2013 and continued with the Qatari F-15QA in 2020. Its selection by the United States Air Force in the late 2010s resulted from the need to recapitalize aging F-15C/D fighters after the planned F-22 production run was curtailed and as delays affected F-35 fielding. Studies conducted in 2018 concluded that a two-seat Advanced Eagle derivative could be integrated more rapidly and at lower non-recurring cost than restarting older production lines or developing a new platform. The F-15EX first flew on 2 February 2021 and entered operational USAF service in July 2024 after a test campaign that included weapons separation trials, electronic warfare assessments, and integration with fifth-generation aircraft. As of today, current operators of Advanced Eagle variants of the F-15 include the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, while Israel ordered F-15IAs based on the EX configuration and plans to upgrade 25 F-15I aircraft. International interest has continued, with Indonesia, Egypt, Poland, and Thailand considering Advanced Eagle variants.
The structural and systems design of the F-15EX is characterized by a reinforced airframe with a projected lifespan of approximately 20,000 flight hours, a digital fly-by-wire flight control system that replaces earlier hybrid controls, and a revised wing that allows activation of outboard stations previously unused due to stability limits. Its avionics include the Raytheon AN/APG 82(V)1 active electronically scanned array radar, the BAE Systems Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System, and the Advanced Display Core Processor II mission computer, which supports open architecture upgrades. The cockpit incorporates large area displays for the pilot and weapons systems officer, while the aircraft can also carry infrared search and track sensors and targeting pods for strike roles. These systems allow the F-15EX to perform air defense, escort, strike, no-fly zone enforcement, and standoff weapons delivery at significant ranges, depending on configuration and mission planning.
The F-15EX measures around 19.45 meters in length with a wingspan of 13.05 meters and a height of 5.64 meters, while the wing area is about 56.5 square meters. Empty weight figures around 14,500 kilograms are commonly cited, and maximum take-off weight is approximately 36,700 to 37,000 kilograms, although some figures expressed in pounds reach about 81,000. Propulsion is provided by either General Electric F110 GE 129 engines or Pratt and Whitney F100 PW 229 engines, allowing speeds close to Mach 2.5 and operations at altitudes up to around 18,000 meters. Combat radius values commonly exceed 1,200 kilometers when conformal fuel tanks and external stores are used, while ferry range with external tanks can exceed 3,000 kilometers. Flight control improvements allow high-g maneuvering and increased tolerance for asymmetric loadouts encountered during air-to-air or strike missions.
The F-15EX retains an internal M61A1 20 millimeter cannon and can carry a wide range of missiles and guided munitions across numerous underwing, fuselage, and conformal tank-mounted hardpoints, which some sources count as more than twenty. Air-to-air configurations can include up to twelve AIM-120 missiles in standard layouts, and expanded rack concepts have been proposed for higher missile counts, although these remain at the demonstration stage. For strike missions, the aircraft can carry small diameter bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munitions, anti-radiation missiles, cruise missiles such as the AGM 158 series, and potential hypersonic weapons, including the AGM 183, depending on future integration. Boeing characterizes the payload capacity at roughly 13,300 kilograms, which allows long-range standoff strike profiles and supports the aircraft’s role as a complement to stealth platforms in complex operations.
The F-15 Advanced Eagle line has operated continuously since the introduction of Saudi F-15SA aircraft in 2011, followed by Qatari F-15QA deliveries. The F-15EX program began with an order for eight aircraft valued at about $1.2 billion and expanded through additional funding cycles, including twelve aircraft budgeted at roughly $1.23 billion in fiscal year 2021. Although initial planning considered up to 144 aircraft, later adjustments placed the projected USAF fleet at around 104 aircraft, with more recent planning showing totals near 129, depending on fiscal year allocations. The first F-15EX aircraft were delivered to Eglin Air Force Base in 2021 and then transferred to operational units such as the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing, which declared initial operational capability in July 2024.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
