Summary and Key Points: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is facing a critical need for modernization and expansion to counter growing threats from China and regional terrorism. While the IAF has considered acquiring the American F-15EX Eagle II, this fourth-generation-plus warplane may not be the best choice.

-Instead, India should invest in fifth-generation warplanes like the F-35 to ensure superior capabilities and long-term benefits.

-The F-35 offers greater staying power and advanced features, which would better serve India's defense needs and strategic goals.

F-15EX or F-35? The Critical Decision for India's Air Force

The Indian Air Force is in a bad way: It needs many more warplanes than it currently can deploy. The Indian military has been modernizing to meet the growing threats of China and jihadist terrorism emanating from Pakistan and Central Asia. Plus, India has grander plans for its presence in the region, which requires many more warplanes – and more modern ones, to boot 

Despite starting the process for procuring a larger fleet of new planes in 2018, the IAF has not yet managed to fulfill its lofty ambitions. 

One idea that has come forward is that India should acquire a tranche of new American F-15EX Eagle II fourth-generation-plus warplanes. These warbirds have been described as giant “missile trucks.” 

While it still belongs to the F-15 family of warplanes, which has been in service since the late 1970s, the F-15EX Eagle II incorporates many systems and capabilities found in fifth-generation warplanes. These newer birds were created as a sort of bridge between the older technology of the fourth-generation warplane family and the high cost of the fifth-generation warplanes. 

In recent years, the U.S. Air Force has been forced to choose between continuing to fund the growth of its F-35 Lightning II fleet of fifth-generation warplanes or to settle for something cheaper. It was assumed that the F-15EX Eagle II might help offset the high cost of fifth-generation warplanes while still keeping many capabilities from the fifth-generation in place. 

Sadly, in recent years, the Pentagon is learning that in many instances the F-15EX Eagle II is somehow more expensive than the F-35.

Regardless of how many capabilities from the fifth-generation warplanes are incorporated into the F-15EX Eagle II, the fact remains that the new F-15s are still a generation behind America’s F-35 and F-22 fleets. 

One way for the Pentagon to offset the high costs of warbirds is to open the program to funding and service from foreign allies. From a cost-saving perspective, this might be one way to help reduce the costs and enhance the production line of the F-15EX. 

But is it even worth it?

The Reasons for the F-35 Over the F-15EX Eagle II

The IAF is behind schedule to modernize and expand its fleet of manned warplanes. They seem to think that the F-15EX Eagle II would be worth exploring. This is a wrongheaded approach. India needs to look at the fifth-generation warplane. They need to buy into the F-35 program immediately.

The F-35 has much greater staying power than does the F-15EX Eagle II. The F-35, whatever its problems, still possesses greater capabilities than does the F-15EX. 

Plus, by having another wealthy, modern nation buy into the program, the overall cost of the program can reduce.

What About the F-22?

Of course, in a perfect world, the United States would abandon its obsession with building the sixth-generation warplane and focus instead on restarting the production line for the F-22A Raptor, which is a far superior platform than any other plane in the world, including the F-35. 

The Pentagon cites onerous costs preventing the restarting of the F-22 production line. But if the Pentagon just opened the program up to other countries, such as India and Israel, costs could be reduced significantly over time. And the F-22 would confer so many advantages to India that no one in the region would dare mess with them. Plus they could backstop the flagging American presence in the region.

Admittedly, the F-22 idea is a pipedream. But what good are op-ed columns if we can’t occasionally engage in such fantasy? 

India Needs Fifth-Generation Warplanes

Short of the F-22 option, New Delhi definitely must purchase the F-35 rather than the F-15EX. 

It’s true that China has its own arsenal of advanced systems, but make no mistake: Beijing would blow a gasket if New Delhi started stocking their air force with fifth-generation warplanes from the United States.

Such a move would force China to divert essential resources away from their naval buildup along the South and East China Seas, as well as the Taiwan Strait, in order to more carefully focus on the strengthened threat from India to their south.

All this is to say that the IAF desperately needs new systems. If they’re going to spend the money, don’t spend it on a system, like the F-15EX Eagle II, that is merely a stopgap. Buy the better systems. 

Go for the fifth-generation warplane from America. 

Author Experience and Expertise: Brandon J. Weichert

Brandon J. Weichert, a National Interest national security analyst, is a former Congressional staffer and geopolitical analyst who is a contributor at The Washington Times, the Asia Times, and The-Pipeline. He is the author of Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His next book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine, is due October 22 from Encounter Books. Weichert can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.

All images are Creative Commons or Shutterstock. 

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