U.S. Inks Huge Israeli Air Upgrade: the F-15 IA
The Trump Administration has approved Israel’s acquisition of F-15 IA, the Israel-specific variant of F-15 EX. It's one of the biggest upgrades to the Israeli Air Force in history.
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by Sakshi Tawari
January 18, 2026
The Trump Administration has approved Israel’s acquisition of F-15 IA, the Israel-specific variant of F-15 EX. It’s the biggest upgrade to Israel’s F-15 fleet, the workhorse of the Israel Air Force (IAF), since 1979, when it scored its first air-to-air kill.
The Pentagon awarded Boeing an $8.6 billion contract for 25 new F-15IAs (Israel Advanced) jets on December 29, 2025, following a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
“This contract provides for the design, integration, instrumentation, test, production, and delivery of 25 new F-15IA aircraft for the Israeli Air Force with an option for an additional 25 F-15IA aircraft,” the Pentagon said in a statement. Additionally, it notes that the contract is part of a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Israel.
The work on the contract will take place in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2035, according to the Pentagon.
The F-15 has long been valued for its versatility, including its ability to carry substantial weapons over long distances. It is the only aircraft in the world that boasts over 100 air-to-air kills and zero combat losses.
In fact, Israel’s F-15 fleet may be responsible for at least half of these aerial kills.
The F-15IA is a tailored version of the new F-15EX, the most advanced F-15 variant built to date. It is equipped with cutting-edge weapon systems and will integrate state-of-the-art Israeli technologies.
The upgraded jet reportedly promises enhanced range, increased payload capacity, and superior performance across diverse operational scenarios. These upgrades are expected to strengthen Israel’s combat capabilities amid an increasingly hostile environment in the Middle Eastern region.
As the U.S. Air Force has realized, stealth is valuable, but after its hard work is done, what’s often needed is giant bomb trucks that can come behind and deploy massive quantities of ordinance. This is exactly why there’s an F-15EX in the age of F-35s, F-22s, and F-47s.
Israel following suit gives it significant advantages over its regional opponents, and makes it a far more formidable defense partner for the United States.
Here’s how.
