Reports from Israeli media stating the Israeli Air Force could be leaning towards buying new F-15 Strike Eagle derivatives instead of F-35s have resurfaced in recent days. This has led some to conclude that such a move, if it does indeed occur, would be some sort of knock against the F-35, or even more inaccurately, a validation that the 40 year old F-15 design remains "superior" to that of the leading-edge and stealthy Joint Strike Fighter. These assumptions couldn't be any further from the truth.

The backstory here is fairly simple, the IAF needs to decide what jets it wants to procure under the first part of a massive ten year aid deal that the Obama Administration established with Israel which goes into effect later this year. The IAF has already ordered 50 F-35Is, which are unique in certain ways among other Joint Strike Fighters. That order equates to two squadrons worth of stealth fighters. Another batch of 25 F-35Is would give the IAF another squadron, but there is far more to the IAF's decision making process than just buying what is considered the newest or even the most advanced fighter available. It's about force mix and what missions certain aircraft would need to carry out during a number of contingency operations, including an air war over Iran.

IAF The F-35I was just declared operational after one year in country.

Israel's love affair with the F-15 dates back to the very early stages of the type's operational life. Israel was the first to convert the F-15 into a multi-role platform, using the jet as a long-range strategic asset to pulverize targets far from Israel's borders. The F-15 "Baz" has since continued to morph into an ever more essential fixture within the ranks of the IAF fighter fleet. Today the IAF's F-15A/B/C/D fleet has been reworked to a standard uniquely suited for the air superiority, reconnaissance, strike, and even the command and control and communications node roles. Make sure to read all about the F-15's incredible history serving with the IAF and its adaption into a multi-role platform in this past feature of mine.

IAF Not your average Eagle! Israeli F-15A/B/C/Ds "Baz" carries air-to-ground munitions and war "fast pack" conformal fuel tanks. They also have an evolved suite of electronic warfare, communications, radar, and pilot interface capabilities.

The IAF needs the F-15 so bad, especially two seat D models, that it continues to totally refurbish and adapt surplus USAF D models—the first Ds ever built—into the IAF's unique configuration—and this comes at great cost. You can read all about this ongoing program here. Keep in mind that these are older F-15 "Baz" models, not the F-15I "Ra'am" (Thunder) fleet of jets that were acquired in the late 1990s. The F-15I is a derivative of the F-15E Strike Eagle, and was the IAF's most advanced and capable fighter aircraft prior to the F-35I being declared operational just weeks ago. Over the years these jets have also received multiple upgrades and feature highly capable electronic warfare and networking capabilities. But with only one squadron in service—just 25 jets—they are few in number, especially considering other regional powers, like Saudi Arabia, is acquiring a fleet of dozens of even more advanced F-15 aircraft (F-15SA) and is converting older Strike Eagle (F-15S) derivatives to a similar advanced configuration.

IAF F-15Is taxiing.

So even though the IAF has a large F-15 fleet overall, the vast majority of these aircraft, all but 25 to be exact, were built well before 1986 and have been reworked dramatically, some of them multiple times over. Today the F-15 production line is putting out an aircraft that is far more capable than even the F-15Is that were delivered 20 years ago. Boeing generally calls this aircraft the "Eagle Advanced," but Qatar, which is ordering dozens of these aircraft, will call theirs the F-15QA. These new variants feature many changes to the original F-15E design, including a digital fly-by-wire system, the activation of weapon stations one and nine on the jet's outer wings, an AESA radar, a digital electronic warfare system, missile approach warning system, new single glass panel cockpit layout, and the list goes on and on.