An F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet assigned to the 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, taxis before taking off from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 20, 2021. Aircraft from Nellis AFB, Eglin AFB and the Oregon Air National Guard are providing support for the Test and Evaluation of the F-15EX in operationally realistic scenarios. This testing will help determine how effective and suitable the F-15EX is at accomplishing its air-to-air mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
Maj. Kevin Hand, F-15EX operational and experimental test pilot with the Air National Guard-Air Force Reserve Test Center, looks over the aircraft forms before a flight from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 20, 2021. Hand will be flying the F-15EX Eagle II to determine how effective and suitable the aircraft is at accomplishing its air-to-air mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
Three F-15C Eagle fighter jets assigned to the 123rd Fighter Squadron, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon, and both of the Air Force’s F-15EX aircraft from the 53rd Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, wait to take off for a mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 20, 2021. The aircraft will conduct the Initial Operational Test and Evaluation from Oct. 18-25, 2021 (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
Two F-15E Strike Eagles and two F-15EX Eagle II aircraft assigned to 53rd Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, sit on the ramp at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The aircraft are at Nellis AFB to conduct Integrated Operational Test and Evaluation along with F-15C aircraft from the 123rd Fighter Squadron, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
An F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Jet assigned to the 40th Flight Test Squadron, sits on the ramp at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 15, 2021. Operational testing is happening 6 months after delivery of the second aircraft and 7 months after delivery of the first, which is a pace that we haven’t really seen in acquisition of new aircraft before. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)