Tel Aviv: The US Air Force awarded Boeing an $8.58 billion contract on December 29, 2025, for 25 new F-15IA aircraft for the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
This deal, with an option for 25 more jets, follows Israel’s November 2024 order and US approval in August 2024. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2031, enhancing Israel’s long-range strike capabilities amid regional tensions.
The F-15IA aircraft, which will be manufactured at Boeing’s St. Louis factory and completed by December 2035, will be designed, integrated, tested, produced, and delivered under the terms of the contract.
In addition to the $840 million previously committed from FMS funding, the aircraft have improvements unique to Israel, such as more sophisticated weaponry, a longer range, and a larger payload capacity. Once production begins, it will produce four to six aircraft each year.
Together with the current F-15I Ra’am aircraft, the F-15IA, which is based on the US F-15EX, will create a new squadron that will double Israel’s strike-optimised F-15 fleet. These aircraft are excellent at transporting large weaponry, such as standoff weapons and hypersonic missiles, which are essential for missions like the recent strikes on Iran.
The agreement is consistent with Israel’s use of F-35I for stealth operations and F-15IA for long-range power projection.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
