The Obama Administration intends to sell 84 advanced F-15 fighters to Saudi Arabia under a proposed $30 billion arms package, according to press reports. Saudi Arabia already operates a fleet of F-15s. These new aircraft would be a more capable version, but the exact configuration has not been disclosed. The Wall Street Journal reported that the new Saudi airplanes would be comparable to the modern F-15s that Boeing has supplied to Singapore and South Korea in recent years. The company has also been developing a new F-15 variant called the Silent Eagle that has signature-reducing features. Boeing spokeswoman Pat Frost referred all questions regarding the sale to the US and Saudi governments. She did tell the Daily Report Tuesday that Boeing still believes that South Korea, which is looking to eventually procure more new fighters, will be the first Silent Eagle customer.
Lawmakers are growing impatient for an overdue fighter recapitalization study from the Air Force, and members say they'll demand more detailed justifications for future aircraft retirements.