USAF Conducts First F-15EX Live Fire Missile Test

Wednesday, February 02, 2022 at 03:49 PM ET

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The 40th Flight Test Squadron’s Majors Benjamin Naumann and Mark Smith fly the F-15EX Eagle II preparing to fire an AIM-120D missile during a Weapons System Evaluation Program mission near Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla, Jan. 25, 2022. This was the first live fire performed from the Air Force’s newest aircraft. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force's new F-15EX Eagle II fighter successfully completed its first live missile test, firing an AIM-120D missile at an aerial drone target over the Gulf of Mexico.
This test validated the F-15EX's entire weapons system, marking a critical step toward its deployment as a modern replacement for the aging F-15 C/D fleet.
The F-15EX is the first Air Force aircraft to be fast-tracked through combined developmental and operational testing, aiming to identify issues early and accelerate its integration into combat units.
The aircraft boasts features like single-pilot operation, increased payload capacity, electronic flight controls, and advanced mission systems, with the Air Force expected to acquire up to 144 units.

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The U.S. Air Force’s newest fighter, the F-15EX Eagle II, successfully conducted a missile test, marking the first time a weapon was live fired from the aircraft, according to the service.

During the January 25 test over the Gulf of Mexico, the fighter’s onboard sensors detected a BQM-167 aerial target drone used in air-to-air weapons system evaluations, and acquired a track. A 335-pound AIM-120D missile was launched, and as it made its way toward the drone, “the shot was determined a [weapons system evaluation program] success, at which point the missile flight was terminated,” the Air Force said.