Two F-15EXs of the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron are conducting integration and familiarization training with local units ahead of the delivery of the jet in 2026.
The U.S. Air Force has announced that two F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets arrived at Kadena Air Base, Japan, on July 12, 2025. The aircraft belong to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron based at Eglin Air Force Base, and were accompanied by an F-15E Strike Eagle and an F-16C Fighting Falcon of the same unit.
In a press release, the 18th Wing said the goal of this short-term visit is to conduct integration and familiarization training with local units, preparing Kadena’s personnel for the arrival and future sustainment of the F-15EX in Spring 2026. The visit has also been defined “a key milestone in the Department of Defense’s ongoing effort to modernize U.S. airpower in the region and deter against evolving threats.”
どっちランウェイに降りるかてんやわんや、おまけにローアプローチまでやって振り回されました…これからのフライトに期待です。
53rd WNG 85th TES “Flying Skulls” F-16C OT 98-0005, F-15E 88-1681, F-15EX 20-0004, 20-0005
Kadena Air Base 20250712 pic.twitter.com/aNs6wN2Dgi
— いらぶちゃー (@okadna35) July 13, 2025
“Bringing the F-15EX here gives our pilots and maintainers the chance to train in the environment where they’ll operate it daily,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, the outgoing 18th Wing commander who has been succeeded on Jul. 14 by Brig. Gen. John Gallemore. “This visit ensures we can seamlessly integrate the aircraft into our mission sets and maintain the airpower advantages needed in this region.”
R5Ⅱの嘉手納デビューがこれでした。
Jul.12,2025 Kadena Air Base DNA/RODN
USAF 53WG 85TES “Flying Skulls” F-15E/[SJ]Seymour Johnson AFB pic.twitter.com/GCiCLDePZz
— ASCOT (@ascot110) July 12, 2025
Before arriving at Kadena, the four aircraft stopped at Andersen AFB, Guam, on July 11. The captions of the photos released on the DVIDS network mention that the jets have been deployed to the Pacific to participate in exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025.
#FEUD21 flight departed from Honolulu airport #PHNL to Andersen AFB #PGUA, July 10th 2025. They were 2 F-15EX (20-0004/OT and 20-0005/OT), F-15E (88-1681/OT) and F-16C (97-0106/OT) from the 85th TES “FLYING SKULLS” out of Eglin AFB #KVPS and they are enroute to Kadena airbase… pic.twitter.com/fyZZjcy6WW
— Coronet_deployments 🇳🇱 🇺🇸 (@CoronetEast) July 13, 2025
The F-15EX at Kadena
Kadena Air Base, home of the 18th Wing’s 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons, most recently flew in an air superiority role with the F-15C/D Eagle. The unit conducted the final operational flight of the F-15C Eagle on Jan. 24, 2025, after 45 years of flight operations at the Japanese base.
On July 3, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a “modernization plan” with the goal of deterring Chinese aggression in the region and strengthening forces in Japan. As part of the plan, it was announced that the base would replace its 48 Eagles with 36 F-15EX Eagle II jets.
Jul.12,2025 Kadena Air Base DNA/RODN
USAF 53WG 85TES “Flying Skulls” F-15E/20-0005[OT]Seymour Johnson AFB pic.twitter.com/OwbHXTqn9z
— ASCOT (@ascot110) July 12, 2025
Remarkably, the announcement marked the first commitment of the new F-15EX Eagle II, the most advanced Eagle variant ever produced, to a base outside the United States. At the time, no definitive timeline for the arrival of the first F-15EXs at the base was given, but it was later revealed that the delivery is expected between March and June 2026.
The new aircraft required a shift in the organizational structure of the 18th Wing. The 67th FGS (Fighter Generation Squadron) was in fact activated to support the eventual arrival of the F-15EX, while the 18th AMXS (Aircraft Maintenance Squadron) was deactivated.
At least one of Kadena’s last F-15Cs is being converted into a maintenance training aircraft for weapons loaders and maintainers, taking advantage of the large commonality between the F-15EX and the F-15C. Also, some crews with the 67th FGS have been sent to the Portland ANG to train with their new F-15EXs.
Maintainers from @KadenaAirBase are rotating into Portland Air National Guard Base this year to complete 60 days of F-15 proficiency training as well as some training on the F-15EX. This training is valuable for these Airmen as Kadena is set to receive their own F-15EXs in 2026. pic.twitter.com/fLx2LWRV5j
— 142nd Wing (@142ndWG) May 22, 2025
The F-15EX Eagle II
The new F-15EX Eagle II, derived from the advanced F-15QA, has emerged in response to the evolving threats highlighted by the National Defense Strategy, focusing on countering challenges from China and Russia. While the F-15EX shares many similarities with the F-15QA, it incorporates exclusive U.S.-specific features, such as the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) and the Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture, enhancing its electronic warfare and surveillance capabilities.
Initially the F-15C/D fleet was to be entirely replaced by the F-22A Raptor, the first 5th gen fighter aircraft of the U.S. Air Force. The service planned to buy 750 Raptors to replace both the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon, but that number was cut to 187 production aircraft, which is also less than the about 230 F-15C/D still in service. Because of this, the operational life of the Eagle had to be extended as it was initially scheduled to be retired in 2019.
When the F-15X program, also known as Advanced F-15, was first launched, both a single and two seat variants were proposed, called F-15CX and F-15EX respectively, and both with the same exact capabilities. The Air Force ultimately decided to go only with the two seats variant, which will reportedly have the option to fly with a single pilot or both pilot and Weapons Systems Officer (WSO).
In 2023, the F-15EX completed Phase I of its Integrated Test & Evaluation (IT&E), during which it participated in 19 Large Force Exercise events alongside 5th-generation aircraft, recorded the longest air-to-air missile employment, and validated the use of the longest non-nuclear air-to-ground munition in the Air Force’s inventory.
The new F-15EX Eagle II has reached the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) with the U.S. Air Force, a milestone announced by Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the Air Combat Command’s chief, on Jul. 10, 2024, while delivering remarks on a webinar hosted by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, shortly after the 142nd Wing at Portland Air National Guard Base received its first F-15EX Eagle II.
As reported at the time, the delivery of the first Eagle II to the Oregon ANG represents the first time a new weapon system is delivered to the Air National Guard before serving in the Air Force. So far, six F-15EXs have been delivered to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where they are supporting developmental and operational tests on the new aircraft, while Portland received the first two operational examples, completing the delivery of Lot 1B which brought the total aircraft in service to eight.
The Air Force initially planned to acquire up to 144 F-15EX aircraft, however the number decreased to 104 in 2023. Early in 2024, the number was reduced even more, with the FY 2025 budget request mentioning the Air Force will buy the last aircraft in 2025 and then end production, capping the fleet at 98 aircraft.
The FY25 National Defense Authorization Act planned to revert also this decision, with the House Armed Services Committee authorizing $ 271 million in advanced procurement spending for 24 additional aircraft to be added to the FY2026 budget, bringing the F-15EX fleet to 122 airframes.
However, the recently released FY2026 budget included $3.1 billion to procure only 21 F-15EX, for a total of 119 airframes. The Air Force later stated that the “currently planned total for F-15EX is 129 aircraft,” although it is unclear where the ten missing jets come from.
