The U.S. Air Force is looking to cut the already relatively small size of its F-15E Strike Eagle fleet by around 54 percent before the end of the decade, according to a recent report. This comes despite the service’s F-15Es being some of, if not its most in-demand tactical jets thanks to their highly-desirable blend of speed, range, payload capacity, crew size, and other capabilities.
Aviation Week first reported that the Air Force is looking to cut 119 of its 218 F-15Es by the 2028 Fiscal Year yesterday, citing information it said it had obtained the service’s broader future force structure and spending priorities. The War Zone has reached out to the Air Force to confirm this and get more information about the service’s plans for the F-15E fleet.
The 119 F-15Es reportedly now on the chopping block represent the remaining examples powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E turbofan engines, each of which produces roughly 23,500 pounds of thrust. The remaining 99 aircraft are ones that feature a pair of more powerful F100-PW-229s, rated at 29,000 pounds of thrust apiece. The F100-PW-220E-powered jets also represent the older portion of…
