The U.S. Air Force plans to spend $12 billion on efforts to update its fleet of F-15 aircraft in order to keep the fighter jet in service through 2040 as well as maintain U.S. technological edge over Russia and China, CNN reported Friday.
According to the story by Zachary Cohen, the military service told CNN the modernization program will cover 435 F-15s and updates to the aircraft include the installation of new electronic warfare systems, infrared search and track platforms, radars, communication tools and mission computer systems.
The branch expects to complete such modifications to F-15s from 2024 through 2030, Cohen reports.
The Air Force announced in August that it also plans to increase the fighter jet™s weapons payload to up to 16 weapons, update the pilot™s digital helmet and install a œfly-by-wire flight control system, among other modifications, in an effort to support its F-35, F-22 and other fifth-generation platforms.
