F-15EX passes missile firing milestone

3rd February 2022 - 14:45 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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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.