Boeing secured a major potential win for its F-15EX program this week with the U.S. State Department’s approval of a massive weapons package sale to Israel. In a deal worth $18.8 billion, Israel requested the purchase of up to 50 new F-15IA fighter jets, 25 upgrade kits for its fleet of F-15I aircraft, and various other related equipment.
While the sale will require congressional consent, the announcement paves the way for Boeing to add another export customer to its growing list of parties acquiring the modernized F-15. Last August, Boeing completed the final delivery of 36 F-15QAs to Qatar and signed an agreement with Indonesia for up to 24 examples.
On the domestic side, the U.S. Air Force received its first operational F-15EX in June. The two-seat jet is developing an early reputation as a highly effective multirole replacement for National Guard F-15C/D fighters. The aircraft boasts the Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS), offering a robust electronic warfare capability, fly-by-wire controls, the option to carry up to 12 underwing weapons, and a max speed nearing Mach 2.5.
In its most recent budget request for FY25, the Pentagon seeks to acquire 98 total F-15EXs for the Air Force, with 18 allocated for the year for $1.8 billion.
This Foreign Military Sales (FMS) announcement adds another data point signaling renewed interest in legacy fighter platforms. Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin officials indicated a demand for nearly 300 export orders for the F-16 Block 70/72 fighter. Currently, the manufacturer has over a half dozen export customers with active orders.
As the path forward for next-generation fighter designs and production enters a murkier phase, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are finding success in building fighters designed over 50 years ago. Israel’s commitment to the overall F-15 program, almost half of the U.S. acquisition model, will likely buoy other regional air forces to consider American fighter deals. With advanced capabilities plugged into tried and true airframes at a relatively affordable cost, foreign customers are beginning to line up.
A former naval officer and helicopter pilot, Jon covers a range of Forecast International reports and products, drawing on his 10-year background in military aviation, operations, and education. His previous military assignments include multiple overseas deployments supporting operations in the Arabian Gulf, NATO exercises, and humanitarian missions. Jon’s work is also influenced by his time as a former Presidential Management Fellow and international trade specialist at the Department of Commerce.
Before joining Forecast International, Jon also served as an NROTC instructor and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Texas, where he taught undergraduate courses on naval history, navigation, defense organization, and naval operations and warfare. A lifelong reader and learner, his academic and professional interests include aviation, political and military history, national defense and security, and foreign area studies.
