F-15EX vs F-35...the plot thickens...

via Real Clear Politics.

The Pentagon proposes to buy 80 F-15Xs over the next five years, likely expanding to an eventual buy of 144 or more to “refresh” the F-15C/D fleet—and potentially the F-15E fleet down the road. The Air Force did not request these aircraft. Rather, the Pentagon’s independent cost-estimation shop—the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation Office (CAPE)—ran its own analyses and eventually brought the Air Force around to its position, whether through convincing or by fiat. Either way, former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed off on the decision.

This was one of the most shocking parts of the article.  Mattis signed off on this thing!  He's the guy that commissioned a study that compared the Super Hornet to the F-35 that hasn't been released to the public.

I don't know about you but my spidey senses are going off!

What did he read in that report that told him that the F-15EX would be the way to go versus the F-35 in this role?

What is not up for debate, however, is that America’s aging F-15C fleet needs replacement, as its average aircraft age hits 35 years. When the iron laws of aircraft maintenance meet the cold calculus of compound interest, the bills begin to add up. Not only do older aircraft suffer from higher costs per flying hour, but those costs also increase faster over time. No matter whether the Air Force picks the F-15X or F-35A, the decision to replace F-15Cs pays for itself in less than ten years.

This part should also be eye opening.

The F-35 is already maintenance intensive and is already expensive beyond belief to maintain but those numbers will only increase over time...not fall as LM is stating and the USAF is hoping.

We need to know the rationale behind this move.  'Cause there is more here than meets the eye.

Story here.