The US Department of Defence has awarded Boeing two big contracts for about $13 billion. One is for fighter jet for Israel and the other is for strategic airborne command capabilities for the US.
The first contract, worth around $8.57 billion, is for the production of 25 F-15IA fighter jets for the Israeli Air Force as part of the Foreign Military Sales program. The agreement covers design, integration, testing, manufacturing, and delivery. There is also an option for 25 more planes, which would bring the entire fleet to 50 aeroplanes. Deliveries are set to last until the middle of the 2030s.
The Pentagon also increased Boeing's long-term service contract for the E-4B fleet of the US Air Force, bringing its total worth to almost $4.2 billion through fiscal year 2027. This was in addition to the fighter program. The agreement covers depot-level maintenance, supply chain management, system support and engine sustainment activities.
The E-4B, also known as the "Doomsday Plane," is a very specialised airborne command post that makes sure the government and nuclear command and control stay in place during nuclear war. The plane is based on a Boeing 747-200 airframe, but it has been heavily upgraded with hardened electronics, secured communications, and architecture that can withstand electromagnetic pulses.
Unlike the aircraft commonly known as Air Force One, which serves as the president’s transport, the E-4B functions as a flying national command centre capable of directing US strategic forces even if ground-based command infrastructure is compromised. Its ability to maintain secure, long-range communications with nuclear forces makes the platform a critical element of US strategic deterrence.
Together, the two contracts underline Washington’s parallel priorities of strengthening allied air power in the Middle East while preserving the resilience of its own highest-level strategic command architecture.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
