Boeing has secured a US Air Force contract worth up to $2.8 billion to upgrade the Republic of Korea Air Force’s F-15K Slam Eagle fleet, the South Korean derivative of the F-15E Strike Eagle.
The contract includes the design and development of a fully integrated aircraft systems suite, though the Department of Defense has not publicly identified the individual subsystems to be incorporated.
Programme execution will take place in St. Louis, Missouri, with work expected to continue through December 2037.
The award follows a $6.2 billion FMS package approved in November 2024, covering radar modernisation, mission systems upgrades, and related support equipment for the F-15K.
Configured for the Korean Peninsula’s unique operational requirements, the F-15K Slam Eagle supports air superiority missions, long-range deep-strike operations, and maritime strike roles.
The platform is particularly suited to targeting hardened and underground facilities, addressing the challenge posed by North Korea’s extensive subterranean military networks, while complementing South Korea’s F-35A stealth fighter force.
Equipped with General Electric F110 engines, the F-15K can deploy Taurus long-range cruise missiles alongside indigenous precision-guided munitions.
With approximately 59 aircraft in service, the F-15K upgrade programme is designed to extend fleet service life into the next decade, improve survivability and sensor capability, and preserve full interoperability with US and allied forces.
