A Conversation With Boeing About The F-15EX

Simple Flying had the privilege of a half hour with Robert “Blend’r” Novotny, Executive Director, F-15
Business Development Air Dominance Boeing
Defense, Space & Security, to discuss the F-15EX. In that discussion, the F-15EX’s ability to provide air policing, carry a big magazine of weapons, and growth potential were discussed.

Introducing Robert “Blend’r” Novotny

To Novotny, a former US Air Force General and F-15 pilot who was also a supporting star in the movie “Fighter Pilot”. One can watch the movie below:

“Blend’r” retired from the US Air Force after serving as commander of the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base and helping upgrade the United States Air Force’s “Red Flag” training exercise as well as commanding the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. Additionally, he accumulated over 2,500 flight hours in 11 different aircraft, primarily in the F-15C/D/E, and more than 540 combat hours, earning four Legions of Merit, the Air Force Combat Action medal, seven Air Medals, and the Bronze Star.. Backed up by graduating the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, the Naval Command & Staff College, the School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, and the National War College.

As per above photos from his Fini Flight in a F-15E Strike Eagle, “Blend’r” was also a 48th Fighter Wing Commander, leading United States Air Force Base Lakenheath’s fighter wing through a time of change from attacking ISIS – a bunch of ragtag terrorists – to refocusing on Russia’s threat to Europe. Clearly, Blend’r is highly qualified to speak about fighter aircraft – and the F-15EX.

F-15EX is a “Multi-role, heavyweight, penetrating fighter”

To Blend’r, the F-15EX is not just the next generation of Eagle but also a platform with “growth potential”. For instance, Blend’r brought up Lockheed Martin’s new AGM-158 XR cruise missile – an evolution of the current JASSM cruise missile. The F-15EX can carry at least three JASSMs without issue, but efforts have been made to make that five. Below, one can see a Lockheed Martin video about the AGM-158 XR:

Despite Blend’r’s many ideas about how to employ the F-15EX, he wants the air forces to figure out the best possible uses for the F-15EX. After all, as Blend’r kept reminding Simple Flying, the F-15EX can carry 12 air-to-air missiles. So to Blend’r, the F-15EX can be best summarized as,

“Multi-role, heavyweight, penetrating fighter, air to ground and Air to Air”

However, Blend’r shared the view that others shared with Simple Flying last July that the F-15EX backseater opens a lot of potential for F-15EX growth. One can see that in the Israeli F-15IA version’s payload capabilities:

A F-15IA Poster displying armament and payload options.

Image: Boeing

Blend’r was also enthusiastic about putting an air battle manager into the backseat of an F-15EX to control not just other fighter jets but drones like the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Blend’r even suggested that with Boeing’s work on the MQ-25, Boeing is a leading CCA company, and the F-15EX “Would be a really exciting threshold platform for that kind of technology.”

323356_F-15EX_SLD05_1124422604_v2_HR_0321-4x6

Graphic: Boeing

Additionally, there was recent coverage of the possibility of the F-15EX becoming an electronic warfare platform:

Despite all the F-15EX’s smarts, the F-15EX has the same capabilities that endear the F-15 family to Blend’r. One of those capabilities is the capability to scramble. As Blend’r explained to Simple Flying, one reason to buy the F-15EX is the F-15EX “can get off the ground in about three minutes or less. So, there’s no other platform in the world that can beat us on a scramble”. The importance of scrambling for air sovereignty was discussed with the United States Air Force’s 142 Wing Commander earlier this month, alongside other topics such as F-15EX integration and the Air National Guard:

However, to Blend’r, the F-15 family, even with its amazing capabilities, is best served working better with other combat aircraft. Blend’r even kindly shared insights on other fighter programs.

Thoughts regarding the F-35 vs. F-15EX

Blend’r did make clear his professional view on the Lockheed Martin F-35 after being advised of recent delays in Tech Refresh 3 upgrades:

“Our nation, the United States, is counting on that airplane working. So many other nations are buying it, and I think it’s a great airplane for those countries to buy… a modern F-16.”

Diving, Vaping F-35A in Burner Thanks to Maj BEO (16x9) - Credit in Description

Photo: Joe Kunzler | Simple Flying

Only to follow up with this question;

“For the most part, almost every country that is buying F-15s is already buying F-35s, right?”

This is very accurate. Not every F-15 customer buys an F-35, but key F-35 customers like Israel – that was recently covered, Japan, Poland, Singapore, and the United States are either buying or considering buying F-15EXs.

Blend’r also commanded two squadrons of F-35s as part of the 57th Wing, along with two squadrons of F-15s and four squadrons of F-16s. Blend’r shared that even the F-35s got “killed” in exercises – a fact confirmed by another Simple Flying source. But F-35s, together with the F-15s and F-16s on hand, “Became an incredibly difficult problem set for the enemy to overcome, and they generally did better together” in the Red Flag exercises.

The case for Poland to buy F-15EX

The same composition Blend’r exercised to create that “incredibly difficult problem set” could be the same for the Polish Air Force. Already the Poles have the F-16 and are starting to onboard the F-35.

With that, Blend’r said about the Poles, “Everybody I’ve dealt with over there is, is absolutely fantastic” and understanding that Poland needs to respond to, “the strategic situation to the east of them”.

Worth noting here that Poland is also getting another Boeing Defense product in the AH-64 Apache pictured below. The Polish Apaches Blend’r reassures can be networked with fighter jets.

However, Blend’r made the case that the F-15EX can provide these defense options:

  • “Defend your homeland”: As previously discussed, the F-15EX’s scrambling ability, high maneuverability, and kill record, coupled with its ability to carry 12 air-to-air missiles, provide the highest quality air defense possible.
  • “Create effects on the battlefield”: With high quality air defenses that can smack down with ease a F-15EX packing only free-fall weapons that require being 15 miles or closer, the F-15EX’s ability to carry cruise missiles like the AGM-158 XR low observable cruise missile places the air defenses at risk. Additionally, the F-15EX can carry anti-radiation missiles like the AGM-88. All of this payload capability is to, “create effects on the battlefield”.
  • Affordability: Blend’r points out that compared to the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Lockheed Martin F-35A, the F-15EX is more affordable. Blend’r recommends making combat aircraft purchases that are on the basis of, “This is go fly the airplane, park it outside, just like the United States has” and not “Bottle it in glass and break glass in case of war”.
  • “Proven capability today”: Blend’r pointed out that F-15Es with the same Raytheon APG-82(V)1 AESA Radar on offer for the F-15EX on April 13, helped repel an Iranian attack on Israel, taking down 70 drones and only one ballistic rocket impacted Israel in the end. Worth noting the F-15E cannot take on ballistic rockets in flight. The F-15E Strike Eagles lacked the F-15EX’s Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) plus modern cockpit displays plus had only eight air-to-air missiles versus the F-15EX’s twelve, yet were critical to saving lives and preventing a wider war. Finally, the F-15E Strike Eagle is a proven strike fighter – and the F-15EX builds on this. So “proven capability today” as Blend’r shared with Simple Flying.

Finally, about jet engines for the F-15EX for Poland

Considering the controversy, interest, and intrigue on many defense news outlets about the current Polish competition for 32 air superiority fighter jets, Simple Flying reached out to RTX– which owns Pratt & Whitney – for the following statement by Josh Goodman, senior director of the F100 Program at Pratt & Whitney. After noting Polish F-16 Vipers exclusively use F100 engines that were originally made in Pratt & Whitney’s Rzeszów, Poland facility, Goodman added;

“We believe the F100 is the best option for Poland’s F-15EX. Not only can it meet Poland’s timeline, but it also meets all F-15EX requirements with a growth margin. F100 engines on the F-15EX would be 100% interchangeable with the F100s currently powering the Polish F-16 fleet, ultimately streamlining maintenance and improving availability for both jets while reducing sustainment costs.”

Regular readers might remember Goodman from a recent profile of the F100 jet engine.

Goodman was also quoted in a September 3 Breaking Defense report that, “It’s really the engine to airframe interface that needs to be….validated or certified, however, no architecture changes” to the F100 are necessary. Additionally, more Pratt & Whitney workshare would be given to Poland to support the increased demand for F100 engines in the event of a Polish purchase.

Bottom line: Why the F-15EX is “the right platform”

We’ll let Blend’r have the last word with these thoughts;

“Proven technology today, it’s affordable right now, it’s affordable tomorrow. I think it gets off the ground and defends the country better than, and if you need to take it forward, unfortunately, it’s going to be able to take the weapons carriage forward. That’s going to minimize the amount of times you’re going to make that trip into enemy territory, thereby protecting your crew better and all that stuff. So that’s why I think it’s the right platform, not just for Poland, but I think it’s the right platform for Indonesia, for our own United States.”

We at Simple Flying want to thank Boeing, Robert “Blend’r” Novotny, and his staff for their time and insight.

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