WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — The U.S. Department of the Air Force has awarded Boeing a $2.38 billion contract for 22 F-15EX Eagle II fighter aircraft under Lot 7 of the program.
The agreement was finalized before the September 30 fiscal-year deadline to use available congressional reconciliation funding. The award brings the total number of F-15EX aircraft under Air Force contract to 120 across Lots 1 through 7.
The Lot 7 deal was negotiated amid inflation across the defense industrial base and the effects of a 2025 production disruption. The Air Force's F-15 Program Office and Boeing reached an agreement that kept all 22 aircraft within available funding. Earlier planning documents had listed 21 aircraft for Lot 7.
Funding included approximately $115 million from the fiscal 2026 budget and about $2.8 billion from the previous year's reconciliation package. The reconciliation funds faced an 8.3 percent reduction if they were not obligated by October 1, 2026.
At $2.38 billion, the airframe portion of the contract averages about $108 million per aircraft. The figure does not include engines, which are supplied by GE Aerospace under a separate contract.
“Lot 7 reflects a disciplined approach to executing available resources while balancing the realities affecting defense production,” said Brig. Gen. Timothy Helfrich, portfolio acquisition executive for the Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate.
F-15EX Replacing Older F-15s
The F-15EX Eagle II is a twin-seat, multirole heavy fighter based on the F-15 design. It features modern avionics, large-area cockpit displays, a digital backbone and improved survivability systems.
The Air Force is acquiring the aircraft to replace aging F-15C and F-15D fighters. The aircraft is also designed to accommodate future weapons and system upgrades, while some planning anticipates it supporting part of the F-15E Strike Eagle mission set over time.
Production and Deliveries
Boeing is currently delivering aircraft from Lot 3, with deliveries continuing through the rest of 2026. The company and the Air Force are working to increase production to two aircraft per month. About 22 F-15EX aircraft have been delivered to the service as of the latest available figures.
The contract involved specialists from program management, contracting, pricing, engineering, financial management, logistics and other acquisition areas. Col. Jonathan Varoli, system program manager for the F-15 Program Office, said the effort brought together the required expertise to support the program and future fighter force.
The F-15EX program remains in full-rate production. Earlier Air Force plans had targeted about 129 aircraft, before the overall program goal was later increased substantially. Lot 7 sustains near-term production while the Air Force continues assessing its longer-term fighter requirements and acquisition strategy.
The Department of the Air Force said it will continue working with Boeing to support rapid, affordable and sustainable F-15EX production.
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