# F-15EX — Program Element 0207146F

**Program element:** 0207146F  
**Component:** U.S. Air Force  
**Appropriation:** 3600 — RDT&E, Air Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0207146F

## Summary

U.S. Air Force requests $133.3M in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators added 111% (to $281.1M). Boeing leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 54.9 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 117.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 133.3 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 143.4 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 238.1 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 249.9 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 358.5 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 133.3 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 133.3 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 133.3 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 281.1 | +147.8 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 670131 | F-15EX | 54.9 | 117.7 | 133.3 | +13% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 670131 — F-15EX

The F-15EX is a new multirole-capable fighter jet based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with advanced capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) and the USAF F-15 Continuous Delivery & Integration (CD&I) Operational Flight Program (OFP) software. The F-15EX provides significant operational flexibility, enabling it to perform a wide range of missions sets with one or two aircrew. It will be used predominantly in defensive and offensive counter-air missions at both Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operational squadrons. F-15EX will perform the Homeland Defense mission and provide Combatant Commanders (CCDR) with strike packages capable of operating in Highly Contested Environments (HCE). The FY 2027 RDT&E funding request continues incremental funding of development and test activities started in prior years, including for Long-Range Kill Chain (LRKC) and Hybrid SATCOM (Beyond Line-of-Sight communications) development, which was an FY 2026 new start. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F or 0605898F. FY 2020 Prior Years RDT&E funding of 385.000 million was executed in Program 0207134F (F-15E Squadrons) and is not included in this exhibit. FY 2020 RDT&E funded two F-15EX test aircraft. In FY 2021, F-15EX RDT&E efforts were continued in Program 0207146F (F-15EX). The FY 2026 spend plan amount for F-15EX 3600 includes $117,715 thousand of discretionary and $40,000 thousand of mandatory (reconciliation) for a total of $157,715 thousand. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to implement innovation insertion, capability insertion, software increments, spiral upgrades, modular component swaps, and other insertions consistent with Modular Open System Architecture. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to design, develop, integrate, and test weapon system and/or component level open architectures. Program RDT&E funding may be utilized to fund the concept refinement, design, development, integration, and testing of interdependent technologies and common architectures that underpin weapon system and portfolio-wide mission outcomes.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Boeing (62.5, 47%), AFLCMC CIV PAY (6.6, 5.0%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid SATCOM | 0.0 | 13.7 | 45.2 |
| F-15EX Development & Test | 54.9 | 54.0 | 74.0 |
| Open Mission Systems | — | 0.0 | 14.1 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 52% | 69.1 |
| Other / unspecified | 48% | 64.1 |

**Top named industry performers:** Boeing ($62.5M, 47%), AFLCMC CIV PAY ($6.6M, 5.0%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The F-15EX is a new multirole-capable fighter jet based on the 2-seat F-15QA (Qatar) configuration upgraded with advanced capabilities, including the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) and the USAF F-15 Continuous Delivery & Integration (CD&I) Operational Flight Program (OFP) software. The F-15EX provides significant operational flexibility, enabling it to perform a wide range of missions sets with one or two aircrew. It will be used predominantly in defensive and offensive counter-air missions at both Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operational squadrons.

The Air Force initiated the F-15EX program under the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) Pathway to rapidly field aircraft, meeting the urgent requirement to recapitalize the divesting of the F-15C and F-15D fleet. In September 2022, the F-15EX program transitioned to a Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) Pathway program to enable procurement of Lots 3 and beyond. As part of this transition, all assets and activities transitioned to the new Major Capability Acquisition program.

## Related program elements

- [1208248SF — Space Domain Awareness/Planning/Tasking SW](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1208248SF) (Space Force)
- [0401221F — KC-46A Tanker Squadrons](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0401221F) (Air Force)
- [0605244A — Joint Reduced Range Rocket (JR3)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605244A) (Army)
- [0604295M — (u)marine Aviation Demonstration/validation](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604295M) (Navy)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0207146F (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0207146F")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*