According to Ted Colbert, Boeing’s vice president and CEO for defense, space, and security, his trip to Israel will help “ensure that it is absolutely and positively obvious that we remain committed to supporting Israel.” The F-15IA and the KC-46, two major programs we’re working on right now, express that.
Israel will use the F-15IA, known as the F-15EX in the US, to replace the F-15I, which has been used for about 50 years.
Cause of replacement
“We believe this demonstrates how prepared Israel’s long arm is to carry out its most relevant goals both now and in the future. We outline how Boeing can move forward to best support Israel’s offensive and defensive capabilities.
Colbert added that we are taking a brand that has been around for 50 years [the antiquated F-15I that Israel is now using] and taking it to the next level using open architecture, payload, and range.
The purchase of 25 F-15IA fighters from Israel, with an option for another 25 later, has been in limbo for years, but recently Jerusalem has started moving the process forward again.
Colbert responded, “We are working very closely with the American government, working with the Israeli government to deliver the capabilities as quickly as we can,” when asked when the F-25s will arrive. But I have no control over how it develops. To meet all the obligations we have made, our team is working very hard in the factories.”
Faced with claims that Lockheed Martin’s F-35 aircraft can outmaneuver those systems, Colbert was asked how the F-15IA could take on Iran’s S-300 anti-aircraft missile system and the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system assuming the Islamic Republic ever acquired it.
Without specifically mentioning the S-300 or S-400 situations, he responded that from an “air dominance perspective, it has the capability to carry out” any required task.
Boeing’s president of Business Development, Heidi Grant, said it is not about choosing between one or the other; To give Israel the competitive advantage it needs, a variety of fighters are needed.
Military experts who speculate on the details of a possible Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear program frequently suggest that the F-35 might be sent first to neutralize the threat posed by anti-aircraft missile systems but that the F-15 (old or new) would carry out most of the actual attack on the target because it can carry much more weaponry than a typical F-35.
Colbert’s speech also emphasized the KC-46 resupply plane, which is crucial for a possible long-range attack, such as one against Iran. According to a previous Boeing statement, four KC-46 jets are expected to be delivered to Israel in 2025.
