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The leader of the Air Force says new fighter jets are coming to North Carolina if Congress funds the planes for 2027.
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Secretary Troy Meink also says the Air Force won’t reassign older F-15E Strike Eagle jets currently based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro until more advanced F-15EX aircraft are provided to the base.
“Any future movement of aircraft would occur only after Seymour Johnson receives replacement F-15EX aircraft, ensuring there is no gap in its operational or training missions,” Meink said in a letter to Sen. Ted Budd, which Budd provided to McClatchy. “I assure you that the Air Force’s commitment to Seymour Johnson has not changed.”
Budd celebrated the announcement, saying it confirms “that Seymour Johnson’s mission is being prioritized and modernized” in “an important step toward ensuring America maintains its air dominance.”
The news came after Rep. Mark Alford, a Republican from Missouri, announced that Whiteman Air Force Base in his state would be the sole candidate for the F-15E Strike Eagle, with new aircraft arriving at the base in 2031.
Seymour Johnson is known for having the largest F-15E Strike Eagle base in the military. Two of its F-15E squadrons are currently deployed to undisclosed locations in southwestern Asia supporting the war against Iran.
Budd, a Republican from Davie County, is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In a news release first provided to McClatchy, Budd said Seymour Johnson and its F-15s are one of his top priorities.
The F-15 first came to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in 1988. F-15s are “all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighters designed to permit the Air Force to train and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield,” according to the Air Force’s website.
The F-15E Strike Eagle uses a pilot and a weapons system officer to attack both air and ground targets, according to the Seymour Johnson website.
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The F-15EX provides “unmatched payload, range and speed,” according to Boeing, which built the newest version of the aircraft.
“We remain committed to preserving the installation’s combat capability, training mission, and long-term role in our national defense,” Meink wrote to Budd on Aug. 2, in response to an inquiry from the senator. “Current plans provide for Seymour Johnson to receive modernized F-15E aircraft in the near term as aircraft become available elsewhere in the Air Force.”
It’s clear from Meink’s response to Budd that Budd had concerns about the F-15Es being taken from Seymour Johnson to another air base. Meink assured him that a decision wouldn’t take place until fall 2028 and would only happen if Seymour Johnson received the F-15EXs.
“Those aircraft will provide the replacement capability needed before any F-15Es could be reassigned to another installation,” Meink said.
In response to Meink’s letter, Budd called on Congress to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act, which sets the military’s budget and policies.
“Congress must do its job and pass the NDAA with a multiyear procurement provision that accelerates F-15EX production, strengthens our air defenses, and ensures we have no gap in our operational or training capabilities,” Budd said. “Our adversaries are picking up pace on their defense modernization efforts, and we risk falling behind if we stall any longer.”
The House passed the bill in July before going on its annual August recess. The bill stalled in the Senate as Democrats protested the war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget request, substantially increased by the war.
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The Senate returns from its own recess on Sept. 14.