F-15EX drops bombs from an operational unit for the first time

Published Jul 23, 07:01 PM UTC

In early May 2026, the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Wing conducted the first-ever operational bomb drops from an F-15EX Eagle II at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The unit dropped 36 concrete-filled practice bombs (24 BDU-50 500-pounders and 12 BDU-56 2,000-pounders) over 10 missions, achieving satisfactory scores with no safety incidents. While test crews at Eglin Air Force Base had previously dropped bombs from an F-15EX, this marked the first time an operational squadron employed the aircraft's air-to-ground capabilities. The training supports the 142nd Wing's transition from air-to-air F-15C Eagles to multi-role F-15EXs, having received the Air Force's first combat-ready Eagle II in June 2024. Three pilots with prior air-to-ground experience developed a condensed bombing course to train the rest of the wing. The unit plans to train with live bombs at Nellis Air Force Base in late August 2026.