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The Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing will receive 21 F-15EX Eagle II fighters to replace its A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, which the Air Force wants to retire by 2029.
President Donald Trump announced the plan during a visit Tuesday at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, just outside of Detroit, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
“As commander in chief, I’m proud to announce that very soon, we will replace the retiring A-10 Warthogs with 21 brand-new F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets — the best in the world,” Trump said. “This will keep Selfridge at the cutting edge of northern American airpower.”
The F-15EX is an advanced version of the venerable Boeing-built air-superiority fighter. While it lacks stealth, it’s faster, has more range and a significantly larger payload capacity, and is cheaper to operate than the F-35A Lightning II.
Michigan officials expect the new aircraft to start arriving in 2028.
The announcement eases much of the concern over the future at Selfridge.
Air Force officials had long planned to retire the A-10s there but had yet to announce a replacement fighter mission.
Whitmer and Michigan’s congressional delegation have been pushing hard for years for the Air Force or Congress to provide replacement aircraft for the A-10, with no luck until yesterday.
“I’m really damn happy we’re here to celebrate this recapitalization at Selfridge,” Whitmer said during ceremony in an A-10 hangar at the base. “It’s critical for the Michigan economy, for our homeland security, and our future.”
Michigan lawmakers were also quick to applaud.
Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, cheered the announcement.
“Selfridge has the capabilities and the generational expertise needed to keep our military ready and our nation safe,” he said in a statement.
“President Donald Trump keeps his promises, standing strong for Selfridge, Macomb, our troops, Michigan, and America,” Rep. John James, a Republican, said on X (formerly Twitter).
NGAUS, too, which counts fighter recapitalization among its top legislative priorities, applauded the announcement.
“It’s a big win for both Michigan and the entire Air National Guard,” said retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the association president. “But we have other fighter units with aging aircraft that need to be replaced.
“The Air National Guard has 25 fighter units,” McGinn added. “America needs the Air National Guard to have 25 fighter units with modern aircraft.”
The 127th Wing is now one of four Air Guard wings in the Air Force fielding plans for the F-15 EX.
Two have been fielded to Oregon’s 142nd Fighter Wing, with more on the way. California’s 144th Fighter Wing and Louisiana’s 159th Fighter Wing are also in the plans. The three units currently fly older F-15C/Ds.
The 127th Wing at Selfridge is also set to get a new squadron of KC-146 Pegasus refueling tankers to replace its fleet of nearly 70-year-old KC-135s Stratotankers.
The KC-46s, which are also built by Boeing, are scheduled to arrive in 2029.
─ By John Goheen
