Oldest US Air Force fighter jet nears final retirement after four decades

Over its career, the F-15 achieved more than 100 air-to-air victories without suffering a loss in aerial combat. Many current ANG-operated Eagles were built in the early 1980s and have remained operational through extensive maintenance and upgrades.

Following their retirement from Kadena Air Base in Japan on January 24, 2025, several ANG wings continued flying these jets:

104th Fighter Wing (Barnes ANGB, Massachusetts): Responsible for protecting northeastern U.S. airspace.

142nd Fighter Wing (Portland ANGB, Oregon): Guards Pacific Northwest skies.

144th Fighter Wing (Fresno ANGB, California): Covers West Coast defense sectors.

159th Fighter Wing (Louisiana ANG): Provides Gulf Coast air defense.

173rd Fighter Wing (Kingsley Field, Oregon): Serves as a training unit for new pilots.

These aircraft are older than many pilots who fly them but remain effective thanks to ongoing structural work and avionics modernization.

Upgrades have included installation of advanced AESA radar systems similar to those found on newer fighters; digital cockpit displays; Link 16 datalink connectivity; integration with modern missiles like AIM-120D AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder; helmet-mounted cueing systems; and significant refurbishment of wings and fuselage components.

As Major Shari Williams (retired), former F-15C pilot explained: “The F-16 has decent AOA capability, but the FBW(fly by wire) system is limited in speed of movement of the controls as it approaches its AOA limit. The F-15 has no such limits. In my experience I usually had more air-air experience (total and recency) than the vast majority of F-16 pilots and usually had little trouble neutralising and then killing them in close.”

Within USAF inventory overall, other long-serving aircraft include bombers like the B-52H Stratofortress—expected to fly into at least mid-century—and refueling tankers such as KC-135R Stratotanker dating back to 1957. The A-10C Thunderbolt II remains essential for close-air-support roles despite repeated attempts at retirement. After phasing out most Eagles from front-line service in favor of stealthier platforms like https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/f35.html , today’s oldest daily-service fighter is now typically considered to be https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104505/fighting-falcon-f-16/ .

ANG-operated Eagles continue their primary role under Aerospace Control Alert missions—requiring constant readiness for rapid interception tasks ranging from escorting civilian planes that lose contact with controllers to responding quickly when foreign military aircraft approach U.S. borders or participating in multinational exercises alongside modern fighters.

For many involved units these responsibilities carry symbolic significance: “Pilots flying the F‑15C/D were often second-generation Eagle drivers…a legacy,” according to historical accounts within these organizations.

Current plans call for complete retirement of remaining ANG Eagles by 2026 as they are replaced by upgraded models such as https://www.boeing.com/defense/f15ex/index.page . For aviation enthusiasts this marks a brief window where it is still possible to see operational Cold War-era fighters before they leave service entirely—a transition noted by both pilots moving onto new types and those reflecting on decades spent maintaining American airspace security.