Key Points and Summary – A controversy has erupted over the true top speed of the new F-15EX Eagle II after a Boeing executive claimed it could fly at “nearly Mach 3.”
-While the company later walked that back to a still-blistering Mach 2.5, the debate highlights the jet’s incredible performance.
The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)
-But its speed is only part of the story. The F-15EX’s real power lies in its massive 30,000-pound payload, which effectively turns the fighter into a “medium bomber.”
-The first of these powerful new jets has now arrived in Okinawa, sending a clear message to China.
Could the F-15EX Eagle II Fly at Nearly Mach 3?
How fast is the F-15EX? I mean, really. There was some controversy in 2024 when a former test pilot claimed that a “slick” Eagle II (nothing external), the newest model of F-15s, could go “nearly Mach 3.” This claim caught the attention of military aviation enthusiasts because it represented an incredible amount of speed for an American fighter jet.
That claim by Boeing’s Rob Novotny, a former Air Force F-15 evaluator and the chief of F-15 sales at the time, was walked back by the company.
An F-15EX Eagle II from the Defense Contracting Management Agency Boeing St. Louis, sits on the flight line at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, June 11, 2025. The aircraft visited the base as part of a site activation task force, an initial step to prepare the 127th Wing with the right infrastructure, personnel, and support the incoming F-15EX and KC-46 Pegasus missions . (U.S. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Elise Wahlstrom)
Novotny originally said the F-15EX could fly at Mach 2.9 or 2,225 miles per hour when flying clean with no bombs or outside sensors.
Boeing then explained there had been a “misunderstanding,” and a spokesperson said, “the top speed we’ve seen is 2.497 Mach. Clean configuration,” according to the War Zone.
The Engines Have the Right Stuff
That’s still very fast, and the F-15EX is powered by two General Electric F110-GE-129 engines with nearly 30,000 pounds of thrust when using afterburners.
But keep in mind that Mach 2.5 speed is achieved when the F-15EX is carrying no munitions or external fuel tanks. The warbird may not be able to hit Mach 2.5 regularly with a full combat loadout.
The Downside of High-Speed Flight
Mach 2.5 would also generate substantial heat, potentially causing the airplane to burn up. Pilots may choose not to push the aircraft that fast due to the risks to the fuselage. The F-15EX is not designed to sustain thermal friction at such a high velocity.
The “paint and antenna” could melt, according to an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot interviewed by the War Zone.
New Deployment is Newsworthy
However, Mach 2 is still a respectable speed, and the F-15EX is designed for high levels of dogfighting prowess. That’s why the U.S. Air Force is excited about two Eagle IIs that arrived at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, on July 12.
“The arrival of the F-15EX at Kadena marks more than just a training opportunity; it’s a glimpse into the future of airpower in the Indo-Pacific,” said Brigadier General John Gallemore, 18th Wing commander. “By operating this next-generation platform in its future environment, we’re laying the groundwork for seamless integration, sustained readiness, and a decisive edge in a rapidly evolving security landscape,” the Air Force wrote in a news release.
A F-15EX assigned to the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flies behind a KC-135 assigned to the 465th Air Refueling Squadron, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, Oct. 15, 2021. In-air refueling allows fighter aircraft to stay airborne for longer periods of time without having to land to refuel. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Mary Begy)
The F-15EXs are there to participate in Resolute Force Pacific 2025 until August 8. The Eagle IIs will be pushed to their limit, executing a diverse range of duties to simulate warfare. “Activities will highlight critical skills such as aircraft flightline operations, munitions loading, hot-pit rapid refueling, combat search and rescue, distributed logistics, and multilateral air-to-air refueling,” a spokesperson from the Air Force said.
Is This Airplane a Medium Bomber?
One of the best parts of the F-15EX is its weapons payload and ability to carry a wide range of munitions. This “beast mode” configuration will slow the warbird down, but it is needed in a multi-threat environment in the Indo-Pacific.
The F-15EX can carry up to 30,000 pounds of bombs and missiles. This amounts to a dozen weapons on board—for example, 12 AMRAAMs could be deployed on the fighter.
The F-15EX can also conduct manned-unmanned teaming arrangements someday with “Loyal Wingmen.” These drones are called Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), and they add to the airplane’s firepower. The F-15EX is a two-seater with a weapons systems officer onboard who can oversee the CCAs.
The F-15EX can be an air policeman to defend territory, a high-speed penetrator of multi-threat environments, or a medium bomber with that heavy payload.
Quick Look at Specs F-15EX Eagle II Fighter
The Eagle II has a combat range of 687 nautical miles and a top service ceiling of 60,000 feet. Maximum takeoff weight is 81,000 pounds with nearly 13,000 pounds of internal fuel. The rate of climb is 50,000 feet per minute, and the airplane has a +9 G limit.
The F-15EX, the Air Force’s newest fighter aircraft, arrives to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida March 11. The aircraft will be the first Air Force aircraft to be tested and fielded from beginning to end through combined developmental and operational tests. The 40th Flight Test Squadron and the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron personnel are responsible for testing the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
F-15EX Eagle II. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The F-15EX is not stealthy, however, and is more of a fourth-generation “+” or “++” fighter. But the survivability is still top-notch with an AESA radar and enviable electronic warfare capabilities. There have been complaints about whether the $90 million airplane is worth the cost. The Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) does not come cheap, but this is a significant way to make the F-15EX a tough customer in a dogfight.
National Guard Pilots Can’t Wait for F-15EX Eagle II
Some F-15EXs will be assigned to U.S. Air Force National Guard units, and the pilots in those wings are thrilled their older model F-15s will be replaced. The radar signature of the F-15EX will be reduced with more low-observable absorbent coatings. The F-15EX also has fly-by-wire controls and the ability to carry hypersonic weapons someday.
The speed debate had some tongues wagging, and a lack of full stealthiness could be problematic in combat, but the F-15EX makes up for it in other systems on board that have been thoroughly modernized and are quite the step up from older F-15s that have been flying since 1972.
I’ll take the F-15EX Eagle II speed as long as it is over Mach 2. The Air Force and Boeing are confident about the manned-unmanned teaming possibility, the heavy weapons payload, and the high G maneuverability.
It was time for the F-15 family to make an enormous leap in modern capability. It should perform well in the current military exercises, and China is sure to take notice of the airplane’s updated features as the F-15EXs execute intricate combat readiness drills.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
More Military
We Almost Touched the F-117 Stealth Fighter
Mike
August 1, 2025 at 9:11 pm
Seriously, why do authors always write such ridiculous articles?? These top end speeds are short dash speeds that test pilots flew in clean configured factory new jets. No 4th gen fighter will EVER be clean config’d going into combat unless they intend to fly around in circles with no weapons. Not even in training do most pilots ever hit that top speed, especially on the older F-15 airframes. Even during high speed intercepts, pilots won’t reach even near the 2.5 mach mark. Its not practical at those temps that would be encountered and external ordinance will limit the mach, depending on configuration. Enough of the obsession with top speed already. Why don’t you cover the F-22’s supercruise performance or even the F-15’s average intercept speed in combat config? I will bet it ain’t mach 2.5.
Thomas Gioia
August 2, 2025 at 11:55 am
But the bottom line to me is that we have vastly superior pilots to take advantage of all the aircraft’s advantages. I’d bet everything I own that if we ever had to engage China in air combat that our pilots would totally rout and embarrass them. I would also bet that the Israeli pilots are right there as well.