The incorporation of new long-range strike capabilities across various combat platforms has become a priority for the United States Armed Forces. A potential conflict in the Asia-Pacific region, with the People’s Republic of China as the main adversary, has prompted strategic shifts in U.S. planning over recent years. This hypothetical high-intensity conflict, characterized by operational environments saturated with air defense systems, ground attack systems, and electronic warfare, necessitates combat aircraft to operate in new security settings. A recent request from the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) indicates the intent to integrate AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) into the U.S. Air Force’s new F-15EX Eagle II strike fighters and F-15E Strike Eagles.
In recent years, the U.S. Air Force has begun incorporating the first batches of its new F-15EX Eagle II fighters. These aircraft feature various enhancements, making them among the most capable platforms in the service. These enhancements include compatibility with the latest variants of the Sidewinder and AMRAAM air-to-air missile families, ground-attack missiles such as the JASSM, and guided munitions.
Nevertheless, to meet operational demands, USAF fighters require anti-surface combat capabilities centered on the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). This missile is currently employed by the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and the U.S. Air Force’s B-1 bombers. In the future, the LRASM is also slated for integration with F-35C fighters deployed from U.S. aircraft carriers.
According to recent information from NAVAIR, the Command has initiated negotiations with Lockheed Martin to conduct integration studies and tests for the AGM-158C-1 missiles on the F-15EX Eagle II and F-15E platforms.
A detailed announcement published on January 8, with a response deadline of January 23, stated: “… [NAVAIR] intends to enter into exclusive negotiations and subsequently award a Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) Delivery Order (DO) to Lockheed Martin Corporation-Missiles Fire Control (LMMFC) under Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) N00019-23-G-0002. The anticipated order pertains to the support required for the integration and testing of the AGM-158C-1 missile on F-15E/EX aircraft platforms. This requirement also includes the integration of the AGM-158C-1’s UAI interface.”
The addition of this capability to the F-15 family, both in earlier and newer variants, represents a step toward fulfilling these strategic objectives. Currently, the Eagle is capable of deploying versions of the Harpoon missile family, which lacks stealth design and has a shorter range compared to the LRASM.
The LRASM is derived from the AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile family, which is already in service with USAF fighters. Additionally, previous tests have demonstrated the F-15’s impressive payload capacity, including evaluations where Eagles were equipped with up to five JASSM-family missiles. Combined with the operational range provided by the F-15EX/E’s conformal fuel tanks and aerial refueling capability, these features make the aircraft a viable option for conducting anti-surface attacks in complex and demanding operational environments like the Pacific.
It should be noted that the integration and testing are still in an exploratory phase, requiring feasibility studies and finalizing contracts with Lockheed Martin. As of now, no timeline is available to indicate when the F-15EX and F-15E will be equipped with AGM-158C (LRASM) missiles.
Photographs used for illustrative purposes only.
You may also like: Due to the wildfires in Los Angeles, the U.S. Air Force has deployed eight C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the MAFFS system
