Wilsbach: F-15EX Delayed by Strike; Fourth-Gen Fighters Still Bring Value

Deliveries of F-15EX aircraft are being delayed by labor strikes at Boeing, Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told the Senate Armed Services Committee ahead of his Oct. 9 confirmation hearing to be Air Force Chief of Staff.

During the hearing, Wilsbach touted the value of the EX and other fourth-generation platforms despite their lack of stealth, saying they can contribute in other ways. As an example, he cited the F-15EX’s expected ability to carry oversized hypersonic weapons and possibly other undisclosed missiles.

In written testimony, Wilsbach reported that the F-15EX, built by Boeing, is “within projected cost, schedule, and performance criteria.” But while the first lot of two aircraft has been delivered, “Lot 2 aircraft, initially expected to deliver this calendar year, are delayed due to the ongoing Boeing strikes, with 6 of 12 F-15EX delivered to date,” Wilsbach said.

Boeing machinists went on strike at the company’s St. Louis facility in August, but the extent of the impact on fighter deliveries had been unclear to this point.

Wilsbach said the delayed deliveries will “impact operations” at Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore., which is both the F-15EX schoolhouse and the location of the first operational unit. It will also affect deliveries to overseas locations in 2026, he added—a reference to Kadena Air Base, Japan, which had been set to receive EXs in the spring.

“While later than initially planned, aircraft deliveries and program milestone dates remain within the program’s acquisition baseline,” he wrote. “If confirmed, I will work with the Service Acquisition Executive to ensure this program progresses to provide the necessary combat capability.”

Fourth-Gen

The Air Force’s plans for the F-15EX have changed several times in recent years. The service initially planned to buy 144 of the fighters, then slashed that total to 99 before Congress added funds to boost that figure back to 129.

Asked by Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) for his views on F-15EX procurement, Wilsbach said he would be “happy to look at” the total number of jets in the fleet to “see what the right number is … and see if we might need more.”

Regardless of the numbers, Wilsbach noted that the EX will have “the capability to carry weapons that very few other platforms do.” These, he said, include “very long-range weapons, perhaps hypersonic weapons, that don’t fit in the internal weapons bay of our fifth- and future sixth-generation aircraft.”

He was likely referring to the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile being developed by Raytheon, as the Air Force’s other hypersonic weapon, the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), is being tested on the B-52. It wasn’t clear whether Wilsbach was referencing other, undisclosed long-range weapons: the AGM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, though classified, is acknowledged to be about the same size as the AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided air-to-air missile, and will fit in fifth-generation aircraft.

More generally, Wilsbach said he is a big fan of the F-15, having flown it himself operationally. He described the aircraft as “an incredible workhorse” and argued that it, along with its fellow fourth-generation fighter the F-16, “brings a lot of capability.”

The general told Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) that it is “doubtful” the fifth-gen fighter fleet of F-22s and F-35s could carry out worldwide operations without being supported by the fourth-gen fleet.

“You can also use the fourth-gen for missions that don’t require penetrating into highly contested environment, like your defensive counter-air that tends to be defending your bases, etc.,” he said. Fourth-generation fighters will also “obviously be doing homeland defense as well”; an important mission, as “you can’t just write off” the possibility that the U.S. will be attacked from the air.

CCA

There’s “still a lot of learning to do” on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, Wilsbach told Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), but while he does believe that the semi-autonomous drones will be operated by the Air National Guard as well as the Active and Reserve components, they won’t be part of or based adjacent to crewed fighter units.

“We’re thinking that they’re not going to be embedded in current fighter squadrons, but rather, they’re going to be their own squadrons,” he said. “They’ll be dispersed, and there’ll be a strategic basing process with these.”

In his written testimony, Wilsbach said the CCA program is “foundational to the Air Force’s future readiness. We are not just prioritizing it, we are aggressively accelerating the fielding of its first increment, with plans in place to initiate the second increment in early FY26.” Besides partnering with and enhancing the capability of crewed fighters, CCAs “are purposefully designed for sustained affordability, driving down lifecycle costs through reduced operational demands, simplified logistics, and lower sustainment.”

He added the program is performing well and the Anduril CCA should fly before the end of the year.

Asked about the right mix of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation fighters, Wilsbach wrote that the Air Force “must evolve the fighter force to defend the homeland, deter peer adversaries, and decisively win the nation’s wars through securing air superiority and air dominance for the Joint Force—a non-negotiable prerequisite for successful joint operations.”

He said the fighter fleet must “transition” from one including F-15Cs and F-22s to one that includes the F-47 and the “YF-42/44” CCAs.

“If confirmed, I will work to ensure we have the optimal portfolio mix of capability and capacity to most effectively meet the demands of the 2025” National Defense Strategy and Guidance.

Adversary Air

To train its fighter pilots, the Air Force has long relied on “aggressors” to serve as practice opponents during exercises and training. Yet the service now faces a shortage of adversary air assets, Wilsbach said in his written comments, and until the service can “replicate the high-end fight,” a mix of organic Air Force adversaries and contract adversaries will be needed, he said.

“The Air Force is also investing in research and development for augmented reality capabilities that can enhance live-fly by providing realistic presentations of constructive adversaries in the aircraft,” Wilsbach noted. “If successful, an augmented reality capability could reduce the need for live adversary air while also minimizing [operational security] concerns.”

“The basic technology has shown promise, but work remains to successfully integrate into our fifth-gen weapon systems,” he added.