Additional AESAs for Eagles, Strike Eagles

The Air Force awarded Boeing a $282 million combined radar upgrade contract for both F-15C/Ds and F-15Es, the Pentagon announced on Oct. 30. Both fleets are undergoing upgrade with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar under two different programs. The contract covers purchase and installation of new radars on 17 F-15C/D Eagles, and 29 F-15E Strike Eagles through January 2019, according to the contact announcement. Boeing is replacing the F-15C/Ds mechanically scanned radar with Raytheon’s APG-63(V)3 AESA, and plans to upgrade a total of 176 aircraft to extend them out to 2025. The company is upgrading the F-15E Strike Eagle fleet with Raytheon’s even more capable APG-82(V)1 AESA under a separate Radar Modernization Program. The first upgraded F-15C was delivered in 2010, and the first RMP upgraded F-15Es were delivered to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, last summer.