Upgraded Japanese F-15s to include integrated suite of Boeing systems
Prime contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will upgrade F-15J fighters (pictured) to the Japan Super Interceptor configuration. (Photo: JASDF)
Boeing gains six-year deal for work on Japanese F-15J upgrade.
Boeing has obtained an FMS contract worth up to $471.31 million from the USAF to design and develop an ‘integrated suite of aircraft systems’ to support modification of Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-15J aircraft, the DoD announced on 30 December.
The deal also includes the development, test, and delivery of four Weapon System Trainers.
Boeing will perform the work in St Louis for completion by 31 December 2028.
In July 2020, Boeing and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) signed a deal to modernise the JASDF fleet of F-15J fighters to the Japan Super Interceptor configuration.
At the time, Boeing stated that the upgrade programme will include ‘state-of-the-art electronic warfare and weapons’ with an ‘all-new advanced cockpit system’.
MHI was scheduled in 2022 to begin modernising up to 98 F-15s as prime contractor. Shephard reported in December 2020 that the upgrade plan had encountered financial problems amid soaring costs — but the latest contract for Boeing suggests renewed life for the programme.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![USAF eyes sensor and weapon upgrades as MH-139A Grey Wolf achieves IOC]()
USAF eyes sensor and weapon upgrades as MH-139A Grey Wolf achieves IOC
The Grey Wolf has entered operational service nearly three years later than originally planned, while new sustainment contracts indicate that some UH-1Ns could remain supported until 2031.
-
![Extending mission readiness: where XR adds real value in pilot, crew and maintenance training]()
Extending mission readiness: where XR adds real value in pilot, crew and maintenance training
Extended reality (XR) is becoming increasingly relevant in military aviation training, adding a flexible layer to an integrated ecosystem spanning the pilot, crew, and maintenance domains.
-
![August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows]()
August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows
The KC-390 is building a growing international operator base, but competition in the transport and tanker market is increasingly likely to depend on interoperability, commonality and the strength of supporting ecosystems. Meanwhile, Boeing’s KC-46 and Airbus’s A330 also gained ground in August.
