The United States Air Force is seeking a ready-to-use missile warning system for its upgraded F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets. It wants technology already deployed on other aircraft to fill a critical gap in detection capabilities, specifically for missiles with thermal guidance that evade radar. The Air Force is improving the F-15EX with a launch and approach warning system, but officials are prioritizing speed over development. They are asking industry for hardware that has already been qualified and used successfully on other platforms, rather than waiting for new systems to be built from scratch.
Strict Technical Requirements
A market research notice issued on September 29 from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base asks for information on systems that can be deployed quickly across the entire F-15EX fleet. This request is not an official solicitation or a guarantee of purchase. Companies interested in responding must submit their information by November 12. The selected equipment will use a sensor network to detect the heat or light signatures of incoming missiles. This allows pilots to perform evasive maneuvers or drop flares. A major requirement is high precision to prevent pilots from being distracted by false alarms.
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The F-15EX was built with the necessary infrastructure for this upgrade. Candidate systems must use six pre-defined sensor mounts and rely on the aircraft’s existing power, cooling, and data wiring. Although the F-15EX uses the BAE Systems Electronic Protection and Active Warfare Survivability Suite (EPAWSS) for electronic warfare, which handles radar detection and jamming, it lacks a dedicated missile warning system. While radar alerts track active threats, a separate system is essential to detect heat-seeking missiles that remain invisible to radar until it is too late.
Modern fighters rely on thermal sensors to catch threats that radar misses. Integrating this capability into legacy airframes like the F-15EX requires careful balancing of weight, power, and cooling. The service specifically targets commercially available products, asking vendors to list the aircraft currently using their system and provide proof of cyber security and airworthiness certifications. They also want delivery timelines and references from previous government buyers.
Technical demands focus on compatibility with Boeing-built aircraft, particularly the MIL-STD-1553 data bus. Vendors must share interface specifications with Boeing for mission computer integration and provide data on physical dimensions, weight, and energy needs.
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Maintenance and Installation Requirements
The Air Force requires that the missile warning system can be easily installed or removed by ground maintenance teams without needing structural changes to the F-15EX aircraft. This ensures flexibility and reduces downtime for maintenance.
Security and Next Steps
To protect security and avoid transmitting classified data, the initial solicitation does not ask for specific detection capabilities. The program office intends to request performance indicators only for systems that meet basic physical and technical requirements. The Air Force is moving forward with this procurement process to ensure pilots have the situational awareness needed to survive in modern combat environments.