Israel acquires additional 25 F-15 fighter jets for $5.2 billion

The Israeli Ministry of Defense signed on Monday a landmark transaction agreement with Boeing to acquire 25 new advanced F-15 fighter jets.

The deal constitutes a part of a broader U.S. military aid package that the U.S. Administration and Congress greenlighted earlier this year.

The goal is to boost Israeli and regional security by strengthening Israel's aerial superiority against its regional foes in the Middle East.

Boeing is expected to start delivering the first planes to the Israeli Air Force in 2031 and will supply 4-6 F-15s annually. 

While the planes are American-manufactured, the new planes will reportedly be refitted and equipped with cutting-edge Israeli military technologies, which will boost the planes’ offensive capabilities. 

The Israeli Defense Ministry Dir.-Gen. Maj-Gen. (Res.) Eyal Zamir, who signed the agreement last month, emphasized that it would enhance the Israeli Air Force’s operational capabilities. 

"The Ministry is executing a comprehensive strategy to enhance the IDF's operational capabilities. We have secured procurement agreements worth nearly $40 billion (approximately NIS 150 billion) since the onset of the war. While focusing on immediate needs for advanced weaponry and ammunition at unprecedented levels, we're simultaneously investing in long-term strategic capabilities. 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. We continue to advance similar transformative agreements across all IDF domains - from air and naval forces to ground operations, intelligence, and beyond," Zamir stated.

IDF Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Ido Nehushtan, the former Israeli Air Force chief and current president of Boeing Israel, stressed that the company was committed to its close cooperation with Israel. 

"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 U.S. and Israeli governments to deliver the advanced F-15IA aircraft through standard military procurement channels," Nehushtan assessed.

In 2023, the Israeli government decided to acquire an additional squadron of 25 stealth fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. military company Lockheed Martin, which will eventually expand the Israeli F-35 fleet from 50 to 75 planes. 

“The Israeli Air Force has proven its capabilities in critical operations with the 116th and 140th squadrons, and we are looking forward to building on this strong performance,” CEO of Lockheed Martin-Israel, Joshua Shani stated. 

The Israeli Air Force is widely considered one of the strongest and most capable air powers in the world. Its current inventory of combat aircraft consists of over 300 advanced fighter jets including F-15s, F-16s and F-35s.

On October 26, the Israeli Air Force struck some 20 strategic military targets in the Islamic Republic of Iran in what was the first major military strike on Iranian territory since the war between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s. It was an Israeli response to the Iranian regime’s missile attack on Israel on Oct. 1. More than 100 Israeli Air Force planes participated in the military strike, which reportedly seriously damaged Iran’s aerial defense and missile production capabilities.