Defense Ministry signs $5.2 billion deal to buy 25 advanced F-15IA fighter jets
US-financed agreement will see Boeing supply 4-6 jets a year starting in 2031, with option for 25 more of aircraft that have enhanced range and payload capacity
Israel signed a $5.2 billion deal Wednesday to procure a squadron of 25 advanced fighter jets, to be financed by Washington’s military aid, the Defense Ministry announced.
The deal includes 25 of Boeing’s F-15IA fighter jets — the Israeli variant of the advanced F-15EX — with options for 25 more. Under the deal, the jets will be supplied in batches of four to six a year, starting in 2031.
The Defense Ministry said the new fighter jets will be “equipped with cutting-edge weapon systems, including the integration of state-of-the-art Israeli technologies.”
“The upgraded aircraft will feature enhanced range capabilities, increased payload capacity, and improved performance across various operational scenarios. These advantages will enable the Israeli Air Force to maintain its strategic superiority in addressing current and future challenges in the Middle East,” the ministry said.
Eyal Zamir, the Defense Ministry director general, said Israel has secured nearly $40 billion worth of procurement agreements since the war in Gaza was sparked on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed the south to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages.
“While focusing on immediate needs for advanced weaponry and ammunition at unprecedented levels, we’re simultaneously investing in long-term strategic capabilities,” Zamir said in a statement. “This F-15 squadron, alongside the third F-35 squadron procured earlier this year, represents a historic enhancement of our air power and strategic reach — capabilities that proved crucial during the current war.”
The president of Boeing Israel, former Israel Air Force chief Ido Nehushtan, said in a statement, “Boeing takes pride in its longstanding partnership with Israel, a relationship that dates back to our nation’s establishment.”
“The company will continue working with the US and Israeli governments to deliver the advanced F-15IA aircraft through standard military procurement channels,” he added.
News of the deal came as some in the international community, including among Israel’s allies, have urged restricting weapons deals with Jerusalem as a way to end the wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
On Wednesday, Egypt joined Turkey’s call — signed by 52 other nations, including Russia and China — for the United Nations to declare an arms embargo on Israel.
In October, French President Emmanuel Macron said an arms embargo is the only way to end the war in Gaza. A month earlier, citing concern over Israel’s conduct of the war, Britain and Canada suspended some licenses for arms trade with Israel but stopped short of calling for an arms embargo.
Israel’s two largest arms sources, the United States and Germany, have resisted calls for an embargo on Israel, though each has been accused of withholding certain arms during the war.
