the F-15 Cs and Ds are going to be retired soon, this is the fastest and most wise choice to do it this way...

that and the EX carries more payload than any other fighter aircraft in our fleet...

it can also fly further than the 22's and 35's...

and faster, and lower...

the 15 has never been a "stealth" aircraft, it is an air superiority fighter, which means hiding its weapons isnt nessecary and they can be exposed, and carry far more of, you do that with the 22 or the 35, and you basically have a slower cooler looking jet than a 15, with no stealth... so you basically just have a F15 with a skirt on...