OREANDA-NEWS. The US Department of Defense ordered the first modernized fighters F-15EX, which are capable of carrying hypersonic weapons.

This is stated in the message of the company Boeing, published on July 14. According to the document, the US Air Force signed a contract with the corporation for nearly 1.2 billion dollars for the construction of the first batch of eight aircrafts. F-15EX will be able to carry more weapons than any other fighter and launch hypersonic weapons up to 7 meters long and weighing up to 3.2 tons.

The US Air Force also announced an indefinite-term contract for the supply of an unspecified number of fighters of this model 23 billion dollars worth. According to preliminary information, Pentagon will purchase 144 airplanes. The first two machines should be produced in the second quarter of fiscal year 2021, six more jets in fiscal year 2023.