The US Department of Defense has awarded Boeing an $8.5-billion contract to provide F-15IA combat aircraft for the Israeli Air Force.
Part of a foreign military sale program, the deal covers the assembly, integration, instrumentation, and associated testing of 25 airframes for the military.
It also includes an option for the production of 25 additional jets for the air force.
Boeing will facilitate the manufacturing and associated work at its St. Louis factory in Missouri, with an expected completion date by December 2035.
The company will coordinate with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, throughout the initiative.
F-15s for Israel
The F-15IA is Israel’s designation for the American F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets, built to replace the US Air Force and Air National Guard’s aging F-15C/D fleet.
As a derivative of the US military’s existing F-15 Advanced Eagle baseline, the F-15IA is designed to boost interoperability between different generations of combat aircraft, including the F-22 and the latest F-35.
Tel Aviv first showed intent to adopt the F-15IA in 2023 as part of the government’s effort to reinforce its airborne assets amid growing threats in the Middle East.
In 2024, Israel’s defense agency contracted Boeing for an initial batch of F-15IAs.
Deliveries for this package, which includes an option for up to 50 aircraft, will begin in 2031, with four to six platforms to be shipped annually.
Boeing’s F-15IA Airframe
The F-15IA measures 64 feet (20 meters) in length, has a wingspan of 42 feet (13 meters), and can be operated with additional weapon systems personnel.
It is armed with a 20-millimeter Gatling cannon, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and guided and unguided bombs.
The plane features a Raytheon AN/APG-82(V)1 AESA all-weather radar, a Lockheed Martin AN/ASG-34(V)1 IRST21 infrared search and track system, Martin Marietta AN/AAS-13/14 or Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper XR targeting pods, and electronic countermeasures.
The jet is powered by two General Electric F110-GE-129 afterburning turbofans for a top speed of Mach 2.5 (1,918 miles/3,087 kilometers per hour), a range of 2,100 nautical miles (2,417 miles/3,889 kilometers), and altitudes up to 60,000 feet (18,288 meters).
