US Could Offer India Fastest, Most Powerful Heavy-Duty Fighters That Can Outsmart Chinese J-16s In Mountain Combat

Following the acquisition of 36 Rafale fighter planes, the Indian Air Force proposed the MMRCA 2.0 tender in April 2018 for the procurement of 114 additional fighter jets for its air fleet.

The Swedish Saab Gripen, the Russian MiG-35 and Su-35, the French Dassault Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, and the US Lockheed Martin F-21 are all competing for the multibillion-dollar deal.

“Offering the F-15EX would result in Boeing withdrawing the Super Hornet from the MRCA contest,” a senior company official said. The US government gave Boeing permission to sell F-15 fighter jets to India last year, according to reports.

Boeing is unsure if the Eagle-II (F-15EX) or the Super Hornet would be a good fit for the IAF until the MRCA tender is announced.

“In light of the Rafale and Tejas orders, India needs to rethink its force structure.” The F-15EX might be a good choice if the gap is at the high-performance end. But, as the Boeing official points out, “these are early days.”

Pratyush Kumar, who previously led Boeing’s Indian business, is now the F-15 Eagle-II programme manager in the United States. “The appropriate high-end fighter for the high-end combat,” Kumar says of the F-15 Eagle-II.

China is one of the world’s most hazardous aviation threats, and this latest version of the F-15 is designed to confront it. These threats include hypersonic, re-targetable long-range missiles as well as advanced “early warning and control” (AW&C) aircraft that can watch low-flying fighters at great ranges, according to the research.

Boeing is equipping the Eagle-II with longer-range missiles, faster radar processors, improved data-link capabilities, and the ability to carry more weaponry into battle to confront these threats. According to Kumar, the F-15EX will be improved on a regular basis since it has sufficient physical space, computing infrastructure, structural strength, and engine power.

During Kumar’s time in New Delhi, the P-8I Poseidon maritime aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transporter, the Apache AH-64E attack helicopter, and the Chinook CH-47F heavy-lift chopper were all inducted into India’s military, according to the report.

The business is also offering the Super Hornet for the Indian Navy’s tender for “twin-engine deck-based fighters,” as previously reported by the EurAsian Times (TEDBF). The Rafale-M, a French fighter jet, is also vying for this contract alongside Boeing.

F-15EX For IAF 

The F-15EX is the latest generation of the F-15 air superiority fighter, which first flew in 1972. The F-15EX looks a lot like a regular F-15, but it has a new fly-by-wire system, a more powerful processor, and an enhanced electronic warfare suite.

The Eagle-II is the world’s fastest fighter (Mach 2.5, or 3,100 kph) and most heavily equipped aircraft (payload of 13.6 tonnes, or 30,000 pounds), with a strike range of 1,200 nautical miles (2,222 kilometres).

Pratt & Whitney, a US engine company, tweeted a video of the F-15EX to the Indian Air Force on October 8, 2021, to commemorate Air Force Day. In a tweet, Pratt & Whitney said, “We’re delighted to power numerous IAF aircraft and are excited for the opportunity to power the F-15EX with our F100 engine.”

In a blog post on Pratt & Whitney’s website, Thomas Prete, vice president, Military Engineering, remarked, “The F100-PW-229 is the most capable, most dependable 4th generation fighter engine ever manufactured.” All countries that operate the F-15 and F-16 use the F100 or F110 engines, which have similar size and thrust settings.

Faced with Chinese threats, India demands that its new fighters have enormous fuel tanks, allowing them to fly for longer periods of time without having to return to base for recharging. Not only does the F-15EX fit this condition, but it can also strike deep within enemy territory with unrivalled firepower.

In addition, the F-15EX fighter’s big engine capacity would allow it to function easily in Ladakh’s high-altitude locations, where the Indian Air Force would seek to defeat Chinese heavy-weight J-16 fighters.

Faced with Chinese threats, India demands that its new fighters have enormous fuel tanks, allowing them to fly for longer periods of time without having to return to base for recharging. Not only does the F-15EX fit this condition, but it can also strike deep within enemy territory with unrivalled firepower.

In addition, the F-15EX fighter’s big engine capacity would allow it to function easily in Ladakh’s high-altitude locations, where the Indian Air Force would seek to defeat Chinese heavy-weight J-16 fighters.