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Following a press release from the US Department of War, it was announced yesterday that the Pentagon has awarded Boeing a contract worth up to $131.23 billion to support the F-15 fleet operated by the US Air Force (USAF) and other allied nations. The agreement covers the production, systems integration, modernisation, upgrades and maintenance of F-15 fighters under the F-15 Eagle Crest programme.
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A contract to sustain and modernise the F-15 fleet
The contract uses an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) arrangement. According to the official document, it will cover aircraft production, systems integration, modernisation, upgrades, modifications and sustainment work. It also provides for the establishment of in-house depot maintenance capabilities to retain critical F-15 weapon-system capabilities.
The work will support the US Air Force, the Air National Guard and other Department of War customers. Its contractual aim is to deliver and sustain the F-15 weapon-system capabilities required for their operations. Work will be carried out in St Louis, Missouri, with completion scheduled for August 2037.
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The ordering period will end on 24 August 2031. However, the agreement includes an option to extend it until 24 August 2036. The award was made through a sole-source procedure and falls under the office responsible for the F-15 programme.
The contract also includes Foreign Military Sales (FMS) for Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Poland. As a result, the arrangement is not confined to sustaining US F-15s, but also provides a contractual framework for requirements linked to overseas operators of the system.
The F-15EX gains importance within the US Air Force
The award comes as Washington considers expanding the F-15EX Eagle II fleet. According to Pentagon budget information for fiscal year 2027, the US Air Force plans to acquire 267 aircraft of this type. This figure exceeds the 129 aircraft previously envisaged and represents a revision of the procurement plans.
For fiscal year 2027, the Air Force requested the purchase of 24 F-15EX aircraft. This acquisition forms part of other programmes intended to renew and expand US air capabilities. The type is designed to complement fifth-generation aircraft and replace some older fighters.
Meanwhile, the US Congress is examining mechanisms to facilitate multiyear procurement of systems such as the F-15EX and F-35 Lightning II. A proposal included in the draft National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027 would permit contracts lasting up to five years. According to the Congressional Research Service, this mechanism could deliver savings of between 5% and 15% compared with annual purchases.
The F-15EX and its international prospects
The new contract also includes Poland among the potential overseas users covered through Foreign Military Sales. In 2023, Boeing had already expressed its intention to offer the F-15EX to Warsaw, amid the expansion of programmes to modernise its Armed Forces.
In recent years, Poland has progressed with the procurement of fighter aircraft, tanks, artillery and other systems. These include the F-35, FA-50, M1A2 Abrams, K2 and HOMAR-K rocket artillery systems. Poland’s inclusion in the F-15 Eagle Crest contract extends the potential scope of Boeing’s agreement beyond the US fleet.
Images are for illustrative purposes.
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