GOLDSBORO, N.C. — Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is slated to receive the Air Force’s newest F-15 fighter aircraft, a move that could secure the future of the base’s fighter mission and strengthen its long-term role in national defense.
U.S. Senator Ted Budd announced that Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink has confirmed Seymour Johnson is the planned recipient of F-15EX aircraft procured through the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, provided the aircraft are authorized and funded by Congress.
The announcement is significant for Seymour Johnson, the 4th Fighter Wing and the Goldsboro and Wayne County communities, where the future of the base’s F-15 mission has been closely watched.
“Since 2023, when I began serving the great state of North Carolina in the U.S. Senate, one of my top defense priorities has been protecting the future of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and its F-15 mission,” Budd said.
According to a letter from Meink to Budd, the Air Force has no plans to reduce Seymour Johnson’s current F-15 mission without replacement aircraft already in place.
“We remain committed to preserving the installation’s combat capability, training mission, and long-term role in our national defense,” Meink wrote.
F-15EX Aircraft Planned as Replacement
In the near term, the Air Force plans for Seymour Johnson to receive modernized F-15E aircraft as they become available from elsewhere in the service.
Looking further ahead, the Air Force plans to send F-15EX aircraft purchased through the FY27 budget to Seymour Johnson. Those aircraft would provide replacement capability before any of the base’s current F-15Es could be reassigned elsewhere.
The F-15EX Eagle II is the newest version of the F-15 and is designed to provide the Air Force with a modernized fighter capable of carrying a large weapons payload while incorporating updated avionics and other advanced systems.
Meink also addressed the potential future relocation of some F-15E aircraft from Seymour Johnson to support an Air Force Reserve mission. According to the secretary, that proposal remains under consideration, with a final decision expected in fall 2028.
Any movement of those aircraft would take place only after Seymour Johnson receives replacement F-15EX aircraft, according to the Air Force.
“I assure you that the Air Force’s commitment to Seymour Johnson has not changed,” Meink wrote. “We remain fully committed to preserving both the operational F-15 mission and the Formal Training Unit at the installation.”
Budd Calls for Congressional Action
Budd, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the Air Force’s confirmation an important step but said Congress still needs to act to accelerate production of the new aircraft.
“This confirmation from the Department of the Air Force that Seymour Johnson’s mission is being prioritized and modernized with the procurement of F-15EX aircraft is an important step toward ensuring America maintains its air dominance,” Budd said.
Both the House and Senate versions of the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act include provisions from Budd’s Airpower Acceleration Act that would give the Air Force authority to use multiyear procurement to expand the F-15EX fleet.
Budd said that approach could accelerate aircraft production, provide greater stability for the defense industrial base and help prevent gaps in the Air Force’s operational and training capabilities.
Seymour Johnson is home to the 4th Fighter Wing and serves as a major training location for Air Force F-15 pilots. Its F-15E Strike Eagles have also supported deployments and combat operations around the world.
Budd has previously pushed to preserve the base’s fighter mission. In 2024, he worked with members of the Senate Armed Services Committee on a provision blocking the Air Force from retiring F-15E Strike Eagles. In 2025, he worked with Air Force leadership to allow limited divestment of older aircraft as newer F-15Es became available.
According to Budd’s office, Seymour Johnson is expected to be the first current F-15E base to receive the F-15EX.
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