The US Department of Defense has awarded Boeing an $8.6 billion contract to produce a new generation of F-15 fighter aircraft for the Israeli Air Force, the Pentagon
announced Tuesday.
The firm fixed-price contract covers the design, integration, testing, production, and delivery of 25 F-15IA aircraft, a customized version of the US Air Force’s F-15EX, according to a Pentagon contracts release. The agreement also includes an option to produce an additional 25 aircraft at a later date.
Work on the program will be carried out primarily in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to run through December 31, 2035.
The purchase is intended to ensure the long-term viability of Israel’s air force, particularly in scenarios involving potential strikes against Iran or Hezbollah. The timeline represents a significant delay from earlier plans to replace Israel’s aging F-15 fleet by 2025 or 2028.
Israel currently operates roughly 75 F-15 aircraft, including A, B, C, and D variants dating back to the late 1970s, as well as 25 F-15I jets featuring Israeli-specific modifications. The Israeli defense establishment first sought to begin replacing the fleet in 2020, but repeated election cycles and political uncertainty delayed formal approval.
In January 2023, Israel’s Defense Ministry submitted an official Letter of Request to the United States for 25 F-15EX aircraft. The process was later slowed by the 2023–2025 Israel-Hamas war and by Israeli requests for additional modifications, which contributed to further delivery delays.
According to Boeing, the F-15EX platform can carry more weapons than any other fighter in its class, including hypersonic missiles up to 22 feet long and weighing as much as 7,000 pounds. The F-15IA variant will feature upgraded engines, fly-by-wire avionics, advanced sensors, and a modernized cockpit, resulting in a reported 25 percent reduction in operating costs per flight hour.
Unlike the stealth-focused F-35I, which is limited in weapons capacity due to internal carriage requirements, the F-15IA is designed to carry large payloads over long distances. During recent conflicts, Israeli F-15s and F-16s conducted the bulk of strike missions, while F-35s were often used for initial penetration and intelligence gathering.
The F-15IA is expected to have a combat range of approximately 4,000 kilometers and will be equipped with an advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, as well as digital helmet-mounted displays designed to provide full situational awareness.
The contract announcement followed a recent meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, during which Netanyahu also met with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Separately, the Pentagon announced in December a $12 million contract with Colt’s Manufacturing Company to produce M4A1 carbines and related equipment for the Israel Defense Forces. That project is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2026. Photo by TSGT KEVIN J. GRUENWALD modified b FOX 52, Wikimedia commons.