This Is the Speediest Plane in the U.S. Air Force

The

United States Air Force

(USAF) has many of the best aircraft in the world on its flightline. In terms of power and speed, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 EX Eagle II ranks supreme. The powerhouse of a fighter jet can (technically) fly at speeds approaching Mach 3 in “clean” configuration,
as Aviation Week reported
. It also happens to be one of the most heavily armed air superiority fighters in the sky.

The

fifth generation fighters

F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II may be newer, stealthier aircraft that represent the future of air warfare, but the F-15EX is far from irrelevant. The F-15EX is capable of carrying such an immense payload and munitions variety that it remains a dominant force on the battlefield. Despite newer models coming along, the latest and greatest version of the iconic F-15 series remains the fastest jet in active service with the USAF.

To The Limit: Mach 3 (Nearly)

The F-15EX Eagle II is an all-weather multirole strike fighter. It was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high-speed interdiction to intercept and destroy nuclear-armed supersonic bombers from the

Soviet Union

. As the latest model of one of America’s highest-flying and fastest jets ever made, the Eagle II represents the culmination of an incredible legacy.

The F-15 has been the USAF’s primary strike fighter since the end of the Cold War and has been deployed to combat zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya. As the “backbone” of the Air Force’s fighter fleet, the F-15EX is expected to remain in USAF service for years to come, replacing older jets like the A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog). A number of US allies also operate the Eagle II or very similar variants under different designations, including Japan, Israel, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

The Eagle II can easily achieve Mach 2.5 and when stripped down it has been recorded close to Mach 3. Boeing’s F-15EX
Chief Pilot Matthew “Phat” Giese commented to Forbes in a special repor
t:

“It was a clean airplane right off the production line in green primer [paint]. I did a maximum-afterburner takeoff, pointing the jet straight up and wound up at 40,000 feet going Mach 2.5 (1650 mph). That’s a hell of a first flight.”

Why It’s Still The Fastest

The F-22 can intercept targets that afterburner-dependent aircraft would not be able to reach because of fuel consumption on afterburner power. This is thanks to its supercruise capabilities, but that efficiency limits it from achieving the raw speed of the F-15EX. The F-22’s power and aerodynamics are said to enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet, providing a 50% longer employment range for air-to-air missiles.

Aside from engine design, a key difference between the Eagle and Raptor is the aerodynamics and material of construction. The F-22 is made with an emphasis on radar deflection and not airspeed, while the F-15 is the opposite. The F-22 has large internal bays for weapons stores, and it’s primarily constructed of composite materials. The F-15 has all external hardpoints and uses more metal throughout, which enables higher speed in clean form and reduces the effects of aerodynamic heating that limit the Raptor.

The US Air Force began the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, which resulted in the


F-22 Raptor


, in 1981. It was planned to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. The end of the Cold War and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 put a significant damper on financing for the F-22. The Department of Defense’s (DOD) reduced needs caused it to be repeatedly delayed and prolonged, which also reinforced the relevance of the F-15 and F-16.

In 2024, Forbes reported that Boeing’s F-15 business development director
and former F-15 pilot, Robert “Blend’r” Novotny, said the “not-to-exceed” speed of the Eagle II is approximately Mach 2.9 or 2,225 mph (3,580 kmh) at sea level. The F-15EX operated was in a “clean” configuration when it reached the speed of almost Mach 3. The Eagle II’s aerodynamic drag was significantly reduced because it had no external armament and fuel tanks, or pylons.

General Electric: The Heart Of The Beast

The

GE Aerospace

F110 turbofan is the engine of choice for the latest generation of F-16 and F-15 advanced series,
according to the manufacturer.
The latest models, the -129 and -132, feature upgrades such as Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) hardware and a 6,000 total accumulated cycle capability, increasing engine availability and reducing life-cycle costs. The F110 family powers 70% of USAF frontline F-16 fighters and 100% of the F-15EX Eagle II fleet. It is also the engine of choice for a number of allied air forces, including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Jordan, Qatar, and Taiwan.

The Advanced F110 engine from

GE

is greatly enhanced to meet the special requirements of the F-15EX. A three-stage chord blisk fan with new enhanced airflow, higher efficiency, and an innovative radial augmentor are all new features. These upgrades reduce complexity, enhance maintainability, and lengthen service life.

The F110 engine was designed with flexibility in mind, allowing it to adjust to evolving global threats and mission requirements for many years to come. No additional engine development time was required for the F-15EX program, and over 350 powerplants have been put into service globally with 17 nations around the world.

The Making Of The Eagle II

Boeing’s St. Louis division created the F-15EX, a version of the F-15 Advanced Eagle, to recapitalize the upgrade the existing tactical force of the USAF under a 2018 directive. Originally designed for export as the Advanced Eagle, the jet is a further evolution of the F-15E design. Following the F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) in 2013 and the F-15QA (Qatari Advanced) in 2020, the F-15EX took its maiden flight in 2021.

In addition to providing a less expensive platform for the use of big stand-off weaponry to supplement the frontline F-22 and F-35 (aka missile-truck), it is was made to replace the remaining F-15C/D models in the USAF and Air National Guard (ANG) for homeland and air defense operations. The F-15EX is also called the Advanced Eagle and serves as the new standard of F-15 production.

When it comes to air superiority missions, the F-15EX is not anticipated to be as resilient against fifth-generation air defenses. It will support the F-22 and F-35 by deploying outsized standoff weapons to support stealth fighters at the frontline. It can also perform airbase defense, enforce no-fly zones against less advanced adversaries, and provide air-to-ground support for troops in action.

Bottom Line

The venerable, iconic, and powerful F-15 Eagle has been a staple of American air power for decades. Originally meant to defeat the threat of airborne nuclear weapons, it went on to be one of the most versatile and high-performing platforms in the USAF inventory. The F-15 has done everything from clearing the skies of hostile warplanes to putting bombs on target to support the boots on the ground. It shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

That being said, it is no longer the shiniest tool in the box when it comes to air dominance.
In a special report by the Aviation Geek Club, former USAF pilot Mike ‘Dozer’ Shower described his experience
flying the F-15 Eagle when the F-22 first entered into service:

“In an F-15 you’re sensor operator, you’re working the radar; you’re the guy working this all out and managing the systems and putting together the 3D picture in your head. That’s the difference with the F-22 Raptor. It does it all for you … you could take four weapons instructors in an F-15 each and you could have some lieutenant who is ‘weapons clueless’ and he’s gonna find them all and kill them all. Then you put one really good guy in an F-15 against a Raptor and he’s still gonna get killed; there’s that much of a difference in technology. It’s about sensors and training.”

Lockheed Martin’s

F-22 Raptor may have eclipsed the Cold War super-fighter to take on the mantle of being the Air Force’s most lethal air superiority fighter, but the F-15 has also found a renewed purpose. Thanks to its exceptional power and speed, paired with a highly versatile weapons carrying capacity, the Eagle II will be the hammer that smashes the target painted by its stealthier cousins.

As the tip of the spear, the F-22 and

F-35

also serve as a kind of data node to paint targets for allied forces. The F-15 can haul more weapons and hit harder than both its newer rivals despite the fact that they would win in a head-to-head fight because of their technological advantage. Thanks to that highly valuable battlefield role, the F-15EX is set to serve the USAF for many years to come – and keep its crown as the fastest jet in the Air Force.