Summary: A substantial foreign military sales package, worth over $95 billion and including countries like Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, has recently passed the House and is under Senate review. 

-Part of this package involves a $17 billion aid to Israel, which may use it to procure additional F-15EX Eagle II jets. The F-15EX, a 4.5th generation multirole fighter, excels in payload capacity and speed but lacks stealth capabilities. Israel, with its already formidable air force that includes F-35I stealth jets and the Iron Dome defense system, arguably does not have a critical need for more F-15EX jets.

-This raises questions about the allocation of these resources, suggesting perhaps these funds could be more effectively used elsewhere within the U.S. military.

Does Israel Really Need F-15EX Eagle II Jets Amid $17 Billion Aid Package? 

Last week, a huge foreign military sales package worth over $95 billion aimed at Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan passed the House and is now heading to the Senate for final approval before it ends up back to the White House for signatures.

The package includes $17 billion in military aid to Israel. As part of that military aid, Tel Aviv is likely to request more F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. But does it need them?  

The F-15EX Eagle II: A Beast of a Fighter Jet

A 4.5th generation fighter jet, the F-15EX Eagle II is a multirole fighter jet capable of operating in a near-peer operational environment. Although it doesn’t have stealth capabilities like the F-22 Raptor or F-35 Lighting II stealth fighter jets, the F-15EX Eagle II brings important capabilities to the table.

The F-15EX Eagle II is essentially a beast of a fighter jet with the ability to carry approximately 30,000 lbs of munitions (almost eight times the amount of munitions the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress bomber could carry).

Depending on the mission set, the fighter jet can establish air superiority or annihilate targets on the ground. In a combat air patrol loadout, the F-15EX Eagle II can carry an impressive 12 air-to-air munitions, including AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking air-to-air missiles and AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) beyond-visual range, radar-homing missiles.

In a ground attack loadout, the fighter jet can carry approximately 24 air-to-ground munitions, including an assortment of stand-off munitions, cruise missiles, glide bombs, smart bombs, and conventional bombs.

Despite its heavy loadout, the F-15EX Eagle II remains an agile aircraft that can reach speeds of over Mach 2.5 (close to 2,800 miles per hour) and has an operational range of nearly 2,000 miles (its combat radius is more limited, at about 800 miles, but still significant).

The F-15EX Eagle II for Israel?

The aircraft’s ability to carry so many munitions would prove handy to Tel Aviv in fending off future Iranian missile and drone barrages.

Israel has already ordered 25 F-15EX Eagle II (they would be named F-15IA once in Israeli service) and is looking to double the order.

The Israeli Air Force is already flying several variants of the F-15 Eagle (and has a total fleet of around 65 aircraft). As such, transitioning to the F-15EX Eagle II would be an easy and efficient task. But whether Israel needs the F-15EX Eagle II is another story.

The Israeli Air Force is the strongest and most capable in the Middle East. With a fleet of close to 300 combat fighter jets, including F-35I Lighting II stealth aircraft, Tel Aviv has no problem establishing air superiority over the battlefield. In addition, Israel has a potent air defense system in the Iron Dome that can track and counter incoming aerial threats.

So, Israel doesn’t have a dire need for the F-15EX Eagle II. Indeed, it would be better if a potential order for the aircraft was allocated to meet the demands of the U.S. Air Force, which has ordered dozens of aircraft but only has six delivered.

About the Author

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense and national security journalist specializing in special operations. A Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), he holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

Image Credit: U.S. Air Force.