U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II Fighter Jet Drops First Live Bomb as New Strike Role Expands

An operational F-15EX from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing released its first live bomb on August 27 during a three-week deployment to Nellis Air Force Base. Imagery from the event shows a 500-pound BLU-111-series general-purpose bomb and a Sniper targeting pod, marking a step in validating the Eagle II’s conventional strike role. The sortie followed earlier May tests at Mountain Home using inert 500-pound and 2,000-pound practice weapons. The activity expands air-to-ground training for a platform previously focused on air-superiority integration as the wing builds operational capability.