Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh took a close look at a Boeing F-15Ex Eagle II 4.5 generation, multirole fighter of the US during his recent visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada of US.
The IAF chief undertook a familiarisation sortie in the fighter jet, touted to be one of the most advanced fighter platforms in the US inventory, as it has the unique ability to accommodate up to 12 AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) or an equivalent mix of large ordnance.
According to the US officials, the flight allowed the IAF chief to better understand the capabilities of the fighter jet, which features digital fly-by-wire controls, an all-glass cockpit, modern mission systems and software, open mission systems architecture and the ability to carry hypersonic weapons.
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Designed for interoperability within the joint force, according to Boeing, customers of F-15EX—which functions as a long-range standoff weapons system that can operate and penetrate in highly contested environments—include Japan, Israel, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Interestingly, while this 4.5 figter has been on the offer for years, India had opted to go with Dassault Rafale fighter jets for its Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme.
During his visit, the IAF chief also held discussions with senior US Air Force officials, including Brigadier General David C. Epperson, who is the commander of the US Air Force Warfare Centre, which conducts warfighter-centric live and virtual operational test and evaluation, tactics development, and advanced training to optimise Air Force capabilities and prepare Airmen for joint, all-domain combat operations.
The talks reportedly focused on expanding joint exercise opportunities and aligning modernisation efforts between the two air forces. There were also discussions on building stronger interoperability between India and the US.
