The best fighter jets should be able to operate in any contested airspace. It could be able to navigate in a “dense signal” area. A dense signal area is an environment with a high amount of radio frequency coming from enemy radar and weapons. The F-15EX Eagle II is getting a new electronic countermeasures system. This system will enable the F-15EX Eagle to operate in such environments better.

This new system will make sure these aircraft penetrate contested airspace safely. Pilots could be able to sniff enemy radar signals even before they are fired and it will make the F-15EX survive some of the dangerous enemy airspaces.

Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System

Although the name is long, this system basically allows the F-15EX to better sense the enemy radar activity coming from all directions covering 360 degrees around the aircraft.

According to BAE Systems,

“EPAWSS provides the F-15EX with fully-integrated radar warning, geolocation, situational awareness, and self-protection solutions to detect and defeat surface and airborne legacy, current, and future threats”

The program director of the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) said,

 “These aircraft bring speed, maneuverability, and payload to the fight, and now with EPAWSS, they can better detect and protect against modern threats.”

This integration to the F-15EX is part of a broader BAE strategy to create the Extreme Electronic Warfare solution.

F-15EX Eagle II

The F-15EX is the newest version of the F-15 family. The Air Force signed the contracts for this program in 2020. The original F-15 program has been around since the 1970s. The last F-15E Strike Eagle was made in 2001 and the Air Force thought it was time for an upgrade. Without a doubt, the F-15 is one of the most successful fighter jet programs in the world. The United States Air Force alone still flies around 500 F-15s today. It has achieved undefeated combat records, but the older models are difficult to maintain and keep in the air.

The F-15EX Eagle II features all new digital-fly-by-wire controls. The cockpit of this fighter aircraft variant comes with a large area display and an APG-82 AESA radar. Pilots have better night vision with its Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System.

The Air Force planned to acquire 144 F-15EXs in the beginning. But the number has been cut down to just 80 fighters by the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act. The reason for this was that the F-15EX is not stealthy and they had the question if the Air Force will be better off with the F-35s instead.

The F-15EX could definitely serve National Air Guard units that fly the F-15 well. New F-15EX Eagle II will be a significant upgrade allowing pilots to train with an advanced model.