The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a contract valued at up to $2.8 billion to modernize South Korea’s F-15K Slam Eagle fighter fleet, a variant derived from the US F-15E Strike Eagle. The upgrade effort is aimed at enhancing combat effectiveness, survivability, and long-term operational relevance amid evolving regional threats.
According to the Pentagon contract notice, Boeing will handle the design and development of an integrated aircraft systems upgrade, although specific subsystems were not disclosed. The work will be carried out in St. Louis, Missouri, with the program scheduled for completion by December 31, 2037, indicating a long-term modernization roadmap.
The contract follows the US government’s approval in November 2024 of a $6.2 billion Foreign Military Sales (FMS) package for the F-15K fleet. That authorization covered upgrades to radars, mission systems, avionics, and associated support equipment, laying the groundwork for the current Boeing-led effort.
Operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), the F-15K Slam Eagle has been tailored for the Korean Peninsula’s demanding threat environment. Designed for deep-strike missions, air superiority, and anti-ship warfare, the aircraft is optimized to engage hardened and underground targets, a critical requirement given North Korea’s extensive subterranean military infrastructure. Seoul fields approximately 59 F-15Ks, and the modernization program is intended to extend service life into the 2030s while maintaining interoperability with US and allied forces.
