Riyadh is considering upgrading 145 F-15 fighters to the advanced F-15EX standard
Saudi Arabia is eyeing additional upgrades to its large fleet of F-15 fighters, with Boeing seeing strong potential for new upgrades – or even to order its newest, most advanced version of the F-15EX.
"We are currently in talks with the Royal Saudi Air Force regarding the F-15EX. We are looking at the potential to upgrade existing aircraft in the Kingdom, as well as potentially purchasing new aircraft," said Vince Logsdon, vice president of international business development for Boeing's Defense, Space and Security division.
The Royal Saudi Air Force operates the second-largest fleet of F-15 fighters in the world after the US Air Force, with 232 aircraft, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. This number includes about 150 SA and SR aircraft, knowing that the SR model was previously modified from the old F-15S.
The rest of the aircraft are old C/D models, some of which are up to 45 years old.
Speaking at the World Defense Expo near Riyadh on February 9, Logsdon said the Royal Saudi Air Force might be interested in upgrading the aircraft already in service. “This would give those aircraft EX capabilities,” he added.
This process could include the integration of the Raytheon APG-82 active electronic scanning radar, large cockpit displays, and an improved electronic warfare system.
Asaad Al-Jumai, President of Boeing Saudi Arabia, said: "The customer is now looking at several solutions based on the current fleet. As for which aircraft will be upgraded, there are several options that will be chosen by the customer."
He noted that while Boeing continues to pursue the Saudi Air Force’s ambitions to purchase a new fighter, “the viable option we are considering is upgrades.”
Earlier this month, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) outlined a potential $3 billion support package for the current fleet of F-15 fighters of the Royal Saudi Air Force.
The F-15EX Eagle II is one of several candidates for a possible future purchase, along with the Dassault Rafale fighter and the Eurofighter Typhoon, while Riyadh has also considered aircraft under development such as the Korean KF-21 and the Turkish Kaan stealth fighter.
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