The Israeli Air Power will get 25 new F-15IA fighter jets as a part of a deal value as much as $8.5 billion, with 25 extra jets on possibility.
The Israeli Air Power will get new F-15s based mostly on the Superior Eagle variant, referred to as F-15IA (Israel Superior). The contract, value as much as $8.5 billion, was signed on Dec. 29, 2025, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
The contract
The signing of the contract follows the International Navy Sale (FMS) authorization granted in August 2024, which itself adopted a January 2023 Letter of Request. In line with the discover, the “contract offers for the design, integration, instrumentation, check, manufacturing, and supply of 25 new F-15IA plane for the Israeli Air Power with an possibility for a further 25 F-15IA plane.”
The contract is in step with the FMS authorization, which included as much as 50 plane, as effectively with Israeli Ministry of Protection statements final yr saying the acquisition of 25 F-15IAs at a price of $5.2 billion. The deliveries, in response to Israel, have been deliberate to begin in 2031, with the contract discover now mentioning the work is to be accomplished by 2035.
Nonetheless, there may be now no hint of the Mid-Life Replace kits that have been additionally requested and licensed by means of the FMS. These have been meant for the F-15I Ra’am jets already in service to be delivered to the most recent configuration.
The FMS
The U.S. Protection Safety Cooperation Company (DSCA) introduced the FMS on Aug. 13, 2025. The deal, value $ 18.82 billion, was a part of 5 Israeli FMS instances accredited on the identical day, additionally together with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, amongst different methods.
The DSCA discover talked about that Israel requested the sale of as much as 50 F-15IA, along with 25 MLU modification kits. Along with that, the FMS entails additionally 120 F110-GE-129 turbofan engines, 90 Superior Show Core Processors II, 75 APG-82(V)1 Energetic Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars and 50 AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN navigation pods.
It’s attention-grabbing to notice the absence of the EPAWSS (Eagle Passive Energetic Warning Survivability Techniques) within the gear record. The ALQ-250 is a sophisticated digital warfare and digital surveillance system, which is absolutely built-in with radar warning, geo-location and elevated chaff and flare functionality to detects and defeat floor and airborne threats in signal-dense and extremely contested environments, in response to BAE Techniques.
Initially, EPAWSS was thought of a U.S.-only system, nonetheless it later figured within the authorization of different FMS instances involving the Superior Eagle. It’s possible that Israel didn’t request EPAWSS as it’s already planning to combine its personal Digital Warfare (EW) and self-protection capabilities, as finished with the opposite plane it acquired beforehand.
Different gear talked about within the FMS included LAU-128 missile rails, M61 Vulcan 20 mm cannons, Embedded World Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System units, Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Techniques, APX-119 Identification Buddy or Foe (IFF) methods. These add to the same old assist, logistics, spare components which normally are concerned in related applications.
The sale of the F-15EX
The sale of the most recent F-15 variant to Israel has been reported within the making for lengthy. Final yr, the Israeli Ministry of Protection despatched an official Letter of Request to the US authorities, beginning the method for the attainable approval of a International Navy Sale.
The Israeli authorities already confirmed curiosity within the F-15EX in 2020, when buying extra F-35s and F-15s was put among the many prime priorities. Nonetheless, political instability, funds points and the Gaza warfare delayed the F-15 deal, whereas solely the contract for extra F-35s was finalized. Since 2020, the Israeli Air Power expressed an pressing want for extra F-15s that would haul heavy masses, together with heavy weapons made in Israel to destroy strengthened targets, equivalent to Iranian nuclear websites.
Initially solely 25 plane have been requested, though it was reported that they may very well be elevated to 50. The sale of the MLU modification kits was additionally anticipated, as Israel requested the improve of its 25 F-15I Ra’am to an avionic configuration much like the F-15EX.
The Function of the F-15IA
Israel has at all times valued the operational vary of the platforms it acquires, and has lengthy praised the F-15 precisely for that. In truth, the F-15 has been for a very long time the principle plane utilized by the Israeli Air Power to strike targets at very lengthy distances whereas nonetheless with the ability to carry heavy payloads.
The Superior Eagle, because the early days of this system, has been mentioned to function an additional enhanced vary and payload. The brand new superior capabilities of the Superior Eagle would additionally enable the fighter to higher combine with the F-35I Adir in service in Israel.
Israel at the moment operates a fleet of 25 F-15I Ra’am plane, which have been based mostly on the F-15E Strike Eagle. With the brand new deal, the Israeli Air Power would double the F-15 fleet devoted to strike roles.
Israel additionally operates a fleet of older F-15A/B/C/D Eagles, domestically generally known as Baz, that are used each for air-to-air and air-to-ground roles. Whereas these are regularly upgraded, they’re beginning to present their age.
It’s unclear nonetheless which would be the future composition of the Israeli F-15 fleet and whether or not the F-15IA procurement will result in the retirement of the older Baz jets. What is obvious is that the F-15 will proceed to serve in Israel for many years to return, complementing the F-35 Adir as the principle strike platforms.
