Israel will acquire the latest variant of Boeing’s F-15 multi-role strike fighter.
The Israeli ministry of defence (MoD) on 7 November said it signed a deal with the American airframer the day prior covering 25 F-15 fighters at a cost of $5.2 billion.
Boeing is producing the F-15EX Eagle II for the US Air Force (USAF), with the first non-test aircraft delivered for frontline service in June. Israel’s new fighters will be assembled in a country-specific configuration dubbed the F-15IA.
The sale marks Boeing’s first firm overseas order for the Eagle II, at a time when the company’s fighter manufacturing business is on precarious footing.
Details about how the Israel-specific -IA variant will differ from the standard EX production model were not immediately divulged, though the likely main alteration is incorporation of Israeli-made avionics and onboard systems.
“The new F-15IA will be equipped with cutting-edge weapon systems, including state-of-the-art Israeli technologies,” the MoD says. “The upgraded aircraft will feature enhanced range capabilities, increased payload capacity and improved performance across various operational scenarios.”
The Israeli air force similarly operates the F-15I, an Israel-specific variant of the standard F-15E Strike Eagle that features domestically produced electronics and systems. The service’s inventory includes 66 F-15s, including older F-15A and F-15C models, which were designed as dedicated air superiority fighters.
The USAF has begun replacing its older F-15Cs with the more-capable two-seat F-15EX, which like the E-model Strike Eagle boasts ground-attack capabilities.
Deliveries of Israel’s new fighters will begin in 2031, with four to six aircraft turned over annually.
Boeing’s defence headquarters in the USA confirms the sale but declines to reveal the F-15IA’s specifications.
“The company will continue working with the US and Israeli governments to deliver the advanced F-15IA aircraft through standard military procurement channels,” says Ido Nehushtan, president of Boeing Israel.
The deal with Israel is major win for Boeing, which had been pursuing its first overseas customer for the F-15EX. Indonesia singed a non-binding commitment with Boeing for 24 Eagle IIs in 2023, and the company has pursued a sale with Poland.
The F-15EX offers significant capability improvements over older F-15 configurations, including increased weapons payload, digital fly-by-wire flight controls and improved aerodynamic performance at slow airspeeds.
In addition to the new Eagle II fighters, Israel in June inked a deal with Lockheed Martin to acquire 25 new F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters. That $3 billion order added a third F-35 squadron to the IAF, raising its commitments to 75 of the fifth-generation jets, with at least 39 already in service.
Israel operates the F-35I, a country-specific variant of the F-35A conventional take-off and landing Lightning II.
