F-15EX passes missile firing milestone
F-15EX Eagle II preparing to fire an AIM-120D AMRAAM in a Weapons System Evaluation Program mission on 25 January. (Photo: USAF)
A USAF F-15EX fighter aircraft has test-fired a missile for the first time.
An F-15EX fighter aircraft from the 40th Flight Test Squadron recently launched an AIM-120D advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) at a BQM-167 aerial target drone as part of an air-to-air weapons system evaluation programme (WSEP).
During the 25 January flight, the F-15EX detected the drone using onboard sensors, acquired a weapons-quality track and launched the AMRAAM at the target.
‘After tracking the missile’s release and flight toward the BQM-167, the shot was determined a WSEP success, at which point the missile flight was terminated,’ USAF Air Combat Command announced on 29 January.
The successful AMRAAM release marked the first weapon fired from the F-15EX Eagle II and another milestone in the programme following more than six months of integrated developmental and operational flight testing.
‘This was an end-to-end verification of the entire weapons system, which will pave the way for more complex missile shots in the future,’ said Colton Myers, F-15EX test project manager with the Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?]()
Attack drones versus CUAS – the future of warfare or just another trend?
Demand signals for counter-drone technology are strong and the market is becoming crowded, but is this really the beginning of a new phase of warfare or will commentators be talking about something else 10 years from now?
-
![The 2020s: a decade of UAV spending growth]()
The 2020s: a decade of UAV spending growth
Total annual drone spending has increased nearly sixfold since the start of the decade, from $2.9 billion in 2020 to $16.3 billion in 2028, with Europe leading the rise.
-
![USAF opens B-52 upgrade to new companies as major programmes fall behind schedule]()
USAF opens B-52 upgrade to new companies as major programmes fall behind schedule
The US Air Force is seeking additional contractors to support communications upgrades for the B-52, while multiple Stratofortress modernisation programmes continue to experience delays, cost growth and technical challenges.
-
![July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough]()
July drone digest: Sovereign production takes centre stage at Farnborough
Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2026 revealed the growing scale of the UK’s uncrewed ambitions, with companies showcasing new CCA, autonomous wingmen and surveillance drones, while sovereign production emerged as a key factor for multiple programmes.
