National security risks are on the rise. Xi Jinping, China’s communist dictator, has been escalating threats against America. And China’s Foreign Minister has said that China’s aims of confrontation and conflict with the U.S. are inevitable. With repeated Chinese spy balloons gathering sensitive data and reports that China has been inserting military personnel into the U.S. via our southern border, we must take China’s escalating talk of war seriously.
George Washington, in his first annual address to Congress said, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” George Washington is 100% correct. The world’s bad actors and evildoers feel emboldened when they see that their adversaries are at a disadvantage or are unprepared.
Accordingly, it is critical that America make sure that it is prepared for a conflict with China — not because any sane person desires or seeks war, but because by being prepared and making it clear that we are strong, China’s interest in confrontation and conflict will decrease and peace and prosperity will be far more likely.
Along these lines, Ronald Reagan said, “History teaches that wars begin when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap. To keep the peace, we and our allies must be strong enough to convince any potential aggressor that war could bring no benefit, only disaster.”
Ronald Reagan and George Washington were right and given China’s recent actions and warnings, we must act upon their sage advice.
There are a number of ways that we can prepare for conflict and thereby discourage aggressors from launching attacks and war. One of the key steps we can take at a relatively low cost that would make a big impact is ensure that we have not only a sufficient number of robust fighter jets, but that we have the industrial capacity to ramp up production if a future conflict requires it.
The F-15EX is an updated and impressive fighter jet that has an unparalleled combination of speed, range, payload capacity, and cutting-edge technology. Because it is an established, tested, and proven platform, it can be produced and operated at a surprisingly low cost. These cost savings also help America be prepared for future conflicts, thereby discouraging future aggression.
The redesigned and updated F-15EX can carry 29,000 pounds of weaponry, whereas other fighter jets in our arsenal can typically only carry 4,000 – 6,000 pounds of weapons. That is more than six times the weapons capacity in some circumstances. It is also the only fighter jet that can shoot out-sized, long-range strike weapons from more than 500 miles. That means greater safety for our pilots and a longer reach as well.
The F-15EX has the most powerful intercept radar currently available. That means it has world-class air-to-ground and air-to-air multi-target tracking and does so with incredible accuracy. Its computer is extremely advanced and therefore helps the pilot complete complex tasks in the modern battlespace, freeing him or her to focus on the mission and getting home safely.
The redesigned cockpit has a state-of-the-art large area touch screen display that is night vision capable and enables the plane to be flown by either one or two pilots — making the platform remarkably flexible and capable and giving the pilot access to an amazing array of information.
The F-15EX has additional weapons stations and can carry outsized weaponry and 12 air-to-air missiles. Likewise, it has digital fly-by-wire flight controls that make it perfect for teaming with both manned and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The F-15EX also has the most advanced electronic warfare suites — including the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System — which gives the F-15EX considerable stealth capability and makes it capable of operating in a hostile environment minimizing the risk of being targeted.
Our Air Force and the forces of many of our allies — like Saudi Arabia, Japan, Poland, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore and Israel — see the modernized and updated F-15EX (or similar F-15EX capabilities) as a key part of their defenses alongside their other fighter forces.
The Pentagon was on schedule to purchase 24 F-15EXs for 2025 and a total of 144 aircraft to replace aging and older model F-15s. Unfortunately, the Pentagon is facing budgetary pressures and is now planning to reduce F-15EX procurement. With the planned retirements of the A-10 and older F-15 variants, this will leave our active duty and our reserve and national guard forces at risk and compromise their ability to defend America.
Congress needs to make sure that we have the necessary resources to fund the planned 24 F-15EX for this year and the full 144 aircraft over time. This will not only prepare us for conflict and thus make conflict far less likely, but it will help drive cost savings as a stable and predictable supply chain helps lower costs over time. This is a good move for the taxpayer and for America’s future of freedom and security from aggression.