The Air Force awarded Boeing a $9.9 million contract modification to expand pilot and maintenance training for the Royal Saudi Air Force new build F-15SA fighters, the Pentagon announced. In addition to the 70 legacy RSAF F-15s undergoing refurbishment in the US, Boeing is building an additional 84 upgraded F-15SA fighters for the Saudis. The modification adds to the original $75.5 million foreign military sales contract for training on the new jets, according to the Defense Department’s April 11 list of major contracts. The Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron is overseeing the training, which will be conducted both stateside and in Saudi Arabia, according to DOD. Boeing rolled out the F-15SA test aircraft last May at its factory in St. Louis, Mo., reported Aviation International News.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
