The U.S. Air Force plans to expand its F-15EX Eagle II fleet to 267 aircraft, more than double the previous target of 129. This increase of 138 jets appears in the Pentagon’s fiscal 2027 budget request, which proposes $1.5 trillion in total defense resources, a 44% rise of $441 billion over fiscal 2026 levels.
The Air Force’s 2027 budget allocates $3 billion for 24 F-15EX fighters. An Air Force spokesperson stated this will complete existing F-15EX units and begin recapitalizing the aging F-15E fleet, which includes 216 aircraft, with plans to retain only 99. The service currently operates about 25 F-15EX jets and holds contracts with Boeing for more than 100.
The F-15EX, an upgraded fourth-generation fighter, primarily replaces older F-15C and F-15D models from the 1980s. It lacks the F-35A’s stealth but offers greater weapons payload and range, suiting homeland defense, air defense, and Indo-Pacific operations. The 2027 request also funds 38 F-35 fighters at $7.4 billion, aiming for at least 72 new fighters annually to counter a shrinking fleet.
Procurement plans have shifted multiple times: from 144 initially, to 80, 104, and 129 before this latest figure. Congress must approve the target, having previously supported F-15EX funding and blocked F-15E retirements. At current rates of about 24 jets per year, the fleet could reach 267 by the mid-2030s.