Boeing wins $8.58B deal to build F-15IA fighter jets for Israel
The United States has awarded Boeing a ceiling $8.58 billion contract to design, produce, and deliver new F-15IA fighter aircraft for the Israeli Air Force, according to a newly issued contract award notice released on December 29.
The hybrid contract covers the design, integration, instrumentation, testing, production, and delivery of 25 new F-15IA aircraft, with an option for an additional 25 aircraft. Work will be performed primarily in St. Louis, Missouri, and is scheduled to run through Dec. 31, 2035.
According to the contract notice, the agreement has a ceiling value of $8,577,700,000 and uses a mix of cost-plus-fixed-fee, fixed-price incentive (firm-target), firm-fixed-price, and undefinitized contract action structures. The award was made on a sole-source basis under the Foreign Military Sales framework supporting Israel.
The notice states that Foreign Military Sales funds totaling $840 million are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is listed as the contracting activity under contract number FA8634-26-C-B001.
The F-15IA is a customized variant of the F-15 family developed specifically for Israeli operational requirements. While detailed configuration data were not disclosed in the award notice, the aircraft is expected to incorporate Israeli-specific avionics, sensors, weapons integration, and electronic warfare systems tailored to regional mission needs.
Boeing’s St. Louis production line has remained active through ongoing F-15EX deliveries for the U.S. Air Force and export orders for allied nations. The Israel-specific F-15IA program represents one of the largest single Foreign Military Sales fighter awards approved in recent years and extends the production horizon for the F-15 platform well into the next decade.
The contract includes provisions for design and integration work, indicating that portions of the aircraft configuration will continue to be refined during early program phases. Instrumentation and test activities are also included, supporting flight testing and certification of Israel-unique systems prior to full-rate production.
Israel has operated multiple variants of the F-15 since the late 1970s, using the aircraft extensively for long-range strike, air superiority, and strategic deterrence missions. The F-15IA program is intended to replace older airframes while maintaining heavy-payload and extended-range capabilities that complement Israel’s existing fleet of F-35I and upgraded F-16 aircraft.
