ST. LOUIS, MO – August 30, 2026 (STL.News) – Boeing has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract with a $131.23 billion ceiling for the F-15 Eagle Crest program, establishing a long-term contracting framework for aircraft production, modernization, upgrades, and sustainment work in St. Louis.
The U.S. Department of War announced the award on August 24. The agreement is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, or IDIQ, meaning the $131.23 billion represents the maximum amount that could potentially be ordered under the contract rather than money immediately committed to Boeing.
Only $343,740 in fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluation funding was obligated at the time of the award, according to the federal contract notice.
Defense News reported that the initial award did not include an order for any aircraft.
The distinction is significant. Boeing has not received a guaranteed $131.23 billion purchase. The actual value of work performed will depend on individual orders issued under the contract over time.
What the F-15 Eagle Crest contract covers
According to the federal contract announcement, Eagle Crest provides for aircraft production, systems integration, modernization, upgrades, retrofits, sustainment and the establishment of organic depot maintenance capabilities.
The contract is designed to deliver and maintain F-15 Eagle Weapon System capabilities for the Air Force, Air National Guard and other Department of War customers.
Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed by August 2037.
The ordering period is expected to end August 24, 2031, with an option to extend through August 24, 2036.
The contract was awarded to Boeing through a sole-source acquisition.
The agreement also involves Foreign Military Sales to Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Poland, according to the federal notice.
Those provisions make Eagle Crest a broad contracting vehicle that can support domestic and approved international F-15 requirements for years to come.
Why the contract matters to St. Louis
The award further strengthens the connection between the F-15 program and Boeing’s large defense presence in the St. Louis region.
Boeing says the region is home to more than 18,000 employees, including personnel from Defense, Space & Security, Commercial Airplanes and Global Services, along with employees supporting companywide functions.
In February 2026, Boeing designated St. Louis as the headquarters of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, moving the headquarters from Arlington, Virginia. The defense business was headquartered in St. Louis from 1997 to 2017.
Boeing has also said it is progressing with a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment in advanced combat-aircraft production facilities, including facilities in St. Louis.
The company separately says it is adding a $1.8 billion advanced facility in Missouri focused on the future of digital engineering and aviation.
Those Boeing workforce and investment figures provide context for the company’s expanding Missouri operations but are separate from the $131.23 billion Eagle Crest contract ceiling.
What happens next for Boeing and the F-15
The Air Force can now issue individual orders under Eagle Crest as F-15 production, modernization, integration, upgrade, retrofit and sustainment requirements arise.
The IDIQ structure provides contracting capacity without requiring the government to commit the entire potential value when the agreement is established.
Defense News reported that no aircraft were ordered when Eagle Crest was awarded. Future aircraft or other requirements would therefore have to be placed through subsequent orders.
How much of the $131.23 billion ceiling is ultimately used will depend on future military requirements, individual orders, appropriations and approved Foreign Military Sales.
The final amount could consequently be substantially less than the maximum ceiling.
For St. Louis, however, the contract creates a potentially significant framework for F-15-related work extending into the next decade and potentially through 2037.
The central point is straightforward: Boeing has received an F-15 IDIQ contract with a maximum ceiling of $131.23 billion. It has not received $131.23 billion in guaranteed federal spending.
Sources: U.S. Department of War Contracts for August 24, 2026; Reuters; Defense News; The Boeing Company.
Editor’s note: The $131.23 billion figure is the maximum ceiling of the F-15 Eagle Crest IDIQ contract. Only $343,740 was obligated at the time of award. The ceiling should not be interpreted as guaranteed government spending, guaranteed Boeing revenue, or a $131.23 billion investment in St. Louis.
