Combining best-in-class payload, range, speed and an upgraded digital infrastructure, the F-15EX is the "most powerful, most advanced and most agile" version of the US Air Force's legacy F-15 fighter jet, according to US manufacturer Boeing.

The US Air Force has said its acquisition of the F-15EX is a cost-effective way to maintain fighter capacity as its fleet of F-15 aircraft, the first version of which was deployed in the 1970s, ages, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine.

At the ceremony, the Air Force revealed a new name for the fighter -- Eagle II.

Equipped with an advanced electronic warfare system, the F-15EX is capable of detecting and countering a variety of threats. It is designed to expand lethality, sensing and targeting beyond previous variants of the aircraft.

The advanced two-seater fighter jet can launch hypersonic weapons up to 6.7 meters long, providing an advantage in future conflicts.

The aircraft can be operated by a single pilot and has more payload capacity than does any of its predecessors -- up to 13.6 tons of weapons.

The aircraft will be able to carry as many as 22 AIM-9X Sidewinder and AMRAAM medium range air-to-air missiles.

Detecting air and surface targets

The avionics of the F-15EX ensure that the fighter can detect enemies first at long range.

The F-15EX is equipped with the APG-82 AESA airborne radar system developed by US defense contractor RTX (formerly Raytheon).

The updated version of the radar system offers extended range, improved multi-target tracking, and precision engagement capabilities. The system will allow the fighter to detect, identify and track several different air and surface targets simultaneously at long ranges.

That system, combined with the F-15EX's large and lethal payload, allows it to destroy ground targets such as the S-300 air defense before enemy detection.

Like its predecessors, the F-15EX is also equipped with the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system, enabling it to fly at low altitudes, at night and in adverse weather to attack targets, according to a US Air Force fact sheet.

LANTIRN consists of a navigation pod and a targeting pod mounted externally beneath the aircraft. The system "significantly increases the combat effectiveness" of the aircraft, the Air Force says.

The F-15EX also can be equipped with the Legion Pod, an infrared search-and-track multi-function sensor system that helps pilots track and engage enemy aircraft in environments where traditional radar technology is denied.

"In today's war fighting environment, not only do we have the capability and technology to jam and counter radar, but our enemies do too," Maj. Daniel Hermanski of the Air Force's Air Combat Command said in a February 2022 statement.

"This pod is the next step for countering jamming technology and allowing our warfighters to fight and track the enemy in contested environments."

The Legion Pod also is capable of monitoring enemy aircraft from extended ranges that normally go undetected, according to the Air Force.

Crucial warning system

The F-15EX is protected by the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), an electronic warfare system capable of detecting and countering ground and airborne threats while also improving battlefield situational awareness.

According to manufacturer BAE Systems, EPAWSS provides fully integrated radar warning, geolocation, situational awareness and self-protection tools to defeat threats in dense signal environments.

It is equipped with advanced radio frequency electronic countermeasures to allow for deeper penetration of modern integrated air defense systems.

"The [EPAWSS] makes the most of mission effectiveness and survivability for the F-15 in contested environments, and further strengthens a highly capable, lethal aircraft," said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president of F-15 Programs, in a July 2022 statement.

"With EPAWSS, the F-15E and F-15EX have successfully proven they can perform across a large force environment to penetrate advanced enemy air defenses and improve mission flexibility."

In May 2021, the F-15EX aircraft participated with the EPAWSS suite in the highly contested and complex Northern Edge exercises conducted by the US Air National Guard, demonstrating their operational potential.

"The Air National Guard has a long and storied relationship with the F-15, going all the way back to 1985 when the very first Eagle arrived at the 159th Fighter Wing of the Louisiana Air National Guard," said Lt. Gen. Michael Loh, director of the Air National Guard.

"We've been flying the F-15 ever since, and Guard Airmen have flown these amazing aircraft both in the defense of the homeland and in every major international conflict since the first Gulf War in 1991," he said.

"That is the battle-tested history of Guard F-15s -- first to the fight, always ready, and always there, and I have the utmost confidence that the F-15EX is poised and ready to continue that legacy for our nation."