Air Force awards Boeing $131B F-15 contract

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a sole-source contract with a $131.23 billion ceiling. This F-15 Eagle Crest award, dated Aug. 24, covers production, modernization, and sustainment of F-15 fighters for U.S. and foreign customers through 2037.

The contract framework allows the Air Force to place orders over time instead of committing to a fixed number of aircraft upfront. Orders may run through Aug. 24, 2031, with an option to extend to 2036. It consolidates new production, upgrades, retrofits, sustainment, and depot support into a single agreement. This serves the Air Force, the Air National Guard, and foreign military sales customers. According to the contract notice, work will be performed in St. Louis, with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, acting as the contracting authority.

The $131.23 billion figure is a ceiling, not an obligation. The government is not committed to spending the full amount. Only $343,740 in fiscal 2026 research, development, test, and evaluation funds was obligated at the time of the award. The notice did not include an initial order for any aircraft.

Contract Scope and Foreign Sales

The contract includes establishing organic depot maintenance capability. This will enable Air Force depots to perform heavy overhauls themselves, reducing sole reliance on Boeing.

Foreign military sales involved in the contract are to Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, and Poland. Notably, Indonesia and Poland do not currently operate the F-15. Israel is already procuring F-15s from the St. Louis production line. A Dec. 29, 2025, agreement covers 25 F-15IA aircraft for Israel, with an option for 25 more, at a value of $8.58 billion.

Program Updates and Delays

The F-15EX Modernized Selected Acquisition Report, issued with the fiscal 2027 budget, provides updated figures and notes a significant delay. It raises the planned U.S. F-15EX purchase to 268 aircraft through fiscal 2031. This is a major increase from a previous baseline of 98 aircraft. The report states the larger buy will necessitate a refresh of key systems including the radar, mission computer, electronic warfare suite, and engines.

The same report confirms the program will miss its July 2027 full operational capability (FOC) date. It cites a 15-week strike at Boeing’s St. Louis plant from Aug. 4 to Nov. 17, 2025, as a primary cause. This delay was "compounded by the prime contractor’s subsequent failure to meet production recovery goals." Mitigation steps include "a re-evaluation of the FOC definition," indicating the service is considering changing how it measures the milestone.

For context, when the same contracting office awarded Lockheed Martin a 10-year, $62 billion contract for new F-16 exports in August 2020, it issued a $4.94 billion order for 90 jets on the same day. The recent F-15 award structure differs, allowing for future orders under its ceiling. The report on the Israeli buy notes it "stabilizes the lower-tier supply chain and extends the active manufacturing life of the F-15EX production line." This information comes from a report by defense journalist Michael Scanlon, a former U.S. Air Force A-10 crew chief.