USAF's Battle-Tested F-15E to Demonstrate Relevance in Modern Warfare for IAF, Eyeing India's MRFA Tender

The upcoming multinational air exercise Tarang Shakti, scheduled for August 2024, is set to be a significant event in the global defence landscape.

The participation of the United States Air Force (USAF) with its F-15E Strike Eagle fighter aircraft holds particular relevance for India, given Boeing's proposal of the F-15EX, an advanced variant, for the Indian Air Force's (IAF) Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender.

F-15E: A Proven Workhorse in the USAF Arsenal​

The F-15E Strike Eagle, while not the exact variant offered for the MRFA program, is a formidable fighter-bomber with a distinguished combat history. Its participation in Tarang Shakti offers the IAF a firsthand look at the platform's capabilities, including air-to-air combat prowess and precision strike capabilities.

F-15EX: The Next Generation of Fighter Aircraft​

Boeing's F-15EX, the latest iteration of the Strike Eagle family, brings significant advancements to the table. With improved fly-by-wire flight controls, an enhanced electronic warfare suite, and a state-of-the-art radar and computer system, the F-15EX represents a substantial leap in performance compared to its predecessor.

The F-15EX also boasts a 28% larger payload capacity than the F-15E, thanks to its strengthened airframe and the ability to carry conformal fuel tanks. This enhanced payload capacity translates to greater flexibility and firepower, making it a valuable asset in diverse operational scenarios.

Cost-Effective and Logistically Advantageous​

One of the key selling points of the F-15EX is its cost-effectiveness. Sharing 70% of its parts with existing F-15 variants, the F-15EX minimizes infrastructure changes and pilot training requirements, leading to substantial cost savings for operators.

Additionally, the global availability of spare parts, with production expected to continue until at least 2070, ensures long-term logistical support.

Tarang Shakti: A Platform for Evaluation and Decision-Making​

The IAF's MRFA program is a critical initiative to modernize its fighter fleet, and the Tarang Shakti exercise serves as a valuable platform for evaluating various contenders. The IAF will have the opportunity to compare the capabilities of different aircraft, including the F-15EX, and assess their suitability for India's evolving defence needs.

The exercise will also facilitate interactions between IAF personnel and their counterparts from the USAF, fostering knowledge exchange and enhancing interoperability between the two air forces.

A Strategic Decision for India's Air Power​

The decision regarding the MRFA program is of paramount importance for India's air power and overall defence strategy. As the IAF embarks on this crucial procurement process, the insights gained from Tarang Shakti 2024 will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of India's fighter fleet.

 

[sanket]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

 

[Prit]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

I doubt India would buy Su-57. The way Russia has deceived Indian nationals in to fighting their war against Ukraine will have repercussions for Russia. A decade ago, India bought 60% of its weapons from Russia. This has decreased by half now. Indian govt knows that Russia will favour China over India and is preparing for the future. While F15EX is a formidable 4.5 gen fighter, I hope India will continue its indigenous efforts and focus on Tejas MK1A & 2, AMCA and TEDBF.

 

[NSR]

World calls F-15EX a formidable BOMB TRUCK with awesome armaments carrying capacity which can obliterate a Division and Brigade HQs.
F-15EX will help India and IAF immensely and Israel loves it so much and it is getting about $18 billions worth of additional F-15EX I guess for free.

Boeing promised to build them in India and help with Indian 5th generation fighter AMCA.

India must check out the offer closely and decide.

 

[Ranjeet Singh]

India should test F-15EX and F-35A over Himalayas and operate them from DB Oldies, Nyoma and other high altitude air bases ! If found OK then buy and make them in India !

 

[Sunny]

Just buy additional Rafale's in government to government deal. Don't understand why we are wasting time in tenders as IAF is already happy with Rafale and we already have personal trained. Why add new type and again go wasting time. Only if F-35 or SU-57 are offered should we go through tender otherwise the other jets offered do not provide any significant advantages over Rafale.

 

[Kira]

A superb jet,but one IAF can't induct because of well established reasons.

 

[Aravind Raveendran]

World calls F-15EX a formidable BOMB TRUCK with awesome armaments carrying capacity which can obliterate a Division and Brigade HQs.
F-15EX will help India and IAF immensely and Israel loves it so much and it is getting about $18 billions worth of additional F-15EX I guess for free.

Boeing promised to build them in India and help with Indian 5th generation fighter AMCA.

India must check out the offer closely and decide.

Agreed that F-15 EX is a formidable fighter unfortunately we have genuine reasons to avoid them.

 

[Kailash]

Nothing medium about the F-15. It is in the same weight class of Su-30MKI

 

[abhinav srivastava]

World calls F-15EX a formidable BOMB TRUCK with awesome armaments carrying capacity which can obliterate a Division and Brigade HQs.
F-15EX will help India and IAF immensely and Israel loves it so much and it is getting about $18 billions worth of additional F-15EX I guess for free.

Boeing promised to build them in India and help with Indian 5th generation fighter AMCA.

India must check out the offer closely and decide.

Don't buy US jets, you never know when they place sanctions and maintenance and upgrades are hampered.

 

[Sharan]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

Mark my words, GOI will buy more retired Mirages or Jaguars or Mig-29’s from different parts of the world, instead of buying new jets for MRFA.

 

[Sandeep]

While this jet is a formidable heavy war fighting machine unfortunately it doesn’t meet most of our current requirements. The heavy weight would mean that it will struggle to operate with the full heavy weight of the jet, armaments and fuel in high altitude areas like in Ladakh and Sikkim which favour medium and lighter aircraft.

Currently India needs to focus on developing its own indigenous jet program. We need to increase production rate and reliability of the Tejas MK1A. We need to quickly manufacture the prototype of Tejas MK2 and AMCA so we can carry out all of the technology, equipment and engineering tests which takes a long time.

At the same time we need to quickly implement the Super Sukhoi program so that it will improve our fighting capabilities and fire power as the technology and equipment is at least 20 years old.

To increase the number of squadrons we need to buy some second hand jets which can still operate for at least 10-15 years as production of our indigenous jets will take time to rebuild the number of jets we need. Currently we use the Mirage 2000, Mig 29 and Jaguar jets for our medium weight category of fighter jets.

The jaguar jet is very old and we should either find ways to sustain the latest jet variants and spare parts by getting the private sector to replace the necessary equipment and parts. We should cannibalise the older variant to sustain the latest variant of fighters and then slowly retire them when the time comes.

The Mig 29 is still a potent fighter with the latest technology and upgrades so we can continue to maintain them and increase the Indian content to sustain them cheaply. We can also buy second hand jets with at least 10+ years of service left and we can upgrade them indigenously to the latest variant that we currently use.

The Mirage 2000 is the best medium weight fighter that we have. We should increase its lifespan by buying more second hand jets with at least 10+ years of service and modernise them to the latest variant that we use along with increasing the amount of indigenous content to maintain them cheaply.

 

[NSR]

Agreed that F-15 EX is a formidable fighter unfortunately we have genuine reasons to avoid them.

Understand in olden days and now different.
We already bought $20+ billions worth of armaments and no sanctions on them so far.

 

[NSR]

Don't buy US jets, you never know when they place sanctions and maintenance and upgrades are hampered.

Not anymore.
We already bought $20+ billions worth of armaments and no sanctions on them so far.

 

[Mayank Shukla]

Buy and make Rafale in India, else get Su - 57 and make them in India.
Everything else is either junk or too costly in the longer run and F-22 will never be offered to us.

 

[Pink Panther]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

It’s a great jet, if we could have bought these before buying SU-30, it would have made sense, but with a similar platform and upgrade program in the pipeline, I wonder if IAF would buy these, Tejas MK2 is the only MRFA winner.

 

[Pramkumar]

Entire MRFA is scam better to cancel this and channel the funds to MK2, ORCA and AMCA and TEDBF

 

[SK]

Indian Govt should consider to cancel MRFA & instead consider to:-
(1) Invest in Additional 18 to 36 Rafale jets for IAF with Spare-Part production under Make-in-India program.
(2) Encourage a JV b/w both IAF & IN to invest in:-
(a) TEDBF (ORCA)
(b) AMCA

This will boost Logistical synergy & Economy of Scales for Indian Military & Aerospace industry.

F-15 is a good Aircraft but IAF already operates it's Russian equivalent Su-30.

 

[PKPRS]

World calls F-15EX a formidable BOMB TRUCK with awesome armaments carrying capacity which can obliterate a Division and Brigade HQs.
F-15EX will help India and IAF immensely and Israel loves it so much and it is getting about $18 billions worth of additional F-15EX I guess for free.

Boeing promised to build them in India and help with Indian 5th generation fighter AMCA.

India must check out the offer closely and decide.

There is a possibility of buying these jets, but it won’t be 114, it would be bought in combination with other jets.

 

[Oleg Olkha]

@NSR 18 billion, 50 units, (etc, ets...) the Foreign Military Sales, FMS... The strategic assets for the state Israel in option F-15IA/IX. https://www.boeing.co.il/products-and-services/defense-space-security/f-15i-advanced A states should respect your needs. Regards and Sabbat Shalom!

 

[Pad UwU]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

Make it 15~20yrs because we know HAL's always have excuses 😹😹😹

w bit correction bruh... It said in article they offered f15ex not f15e.... They just sent a f15e demonstration in the exercise

 

[Akshat]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

No Su57 at any cost. IAF has specifically said that.

 

[Akshat]

It’s a great jet, if we could have bought these before buying SU-30, it would have made sense, but with a similar platform and upgrade program in the pipeline, I wonder if IAF would buy these, Tejas MK2 is the only MRFA winner.

Where is mk2? 😂😂

 

[Akshat]

Buy and make Rafale in India, else get Su - 57 and make them in India.
Everything else is either junk or too costly in the longer run and F-22 will never be offered to us.

Su57 is the biggest junk of them all buddy. Even Russia has cut down orders by 70% and is buying Su35 instead.

 

[Akshat]

Entire MRFA is scam better to cancel this and channel the funds to MK2, ORCA and AMCA and TEDBF

But where are all these planes???

 

[Pink Panther]

Where is mk2? 😂😂

In HAL factory screaming to come out.

 

[Pink Panther]

No Su57 at any cost. IAF has specifically said that.

GOI might be waiting for SU-57 who know’s and that might be the reason why they refused to buy Rafale even after 100’s of repeated plead from Macroni to buy Rafale’s, nothing is guaranteed, anything can happen.

 

[Pink Panther]

Make it 15~20yrs because we know HAL's always have excuses 😹😹😹

w bit correction bruh... It said in article they offered f15ex not f15e.... They just sent a f15e demonstration in the exercise

It must be a mistake in the article, f15-E variant was made in 1980’s, F15EX is the latest.

 

[Tim Mugaseth]

AMCA is 10 years away Mark my word India may buy atleast 2 to 3 sqadron of Su-57 apart from MRFA , But will not buy this old design F-Series US Fighter jets. Fight for MRFA will b between Euro-fighter & Rafale.Most Likey Rafale Once again likely to win MRFA .

Would make operational sense to buy rafaels instead of a completely different variant. Inventory maintenance , spares etc would become a major issue. But on the political front it makes sense to partner with the US. As Europe and canada being its shores would follow suit.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

7-8 Squns of F-15EX can outmatch 15 to 18 squns of J-20 and other Chinese fighters with their massive missiles and Bomb carrying capabilities. In case Boeing builds transfers technology and uses India as a spares and maintenance hub for the F-15 aircraft it will be good buy with early supplies at friendship prices of less than 65-75 milllion $.