By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Boeing was given an $8.6 billion contract for the F-15 Israel Program, the Pentagon said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.
"This contract provides for the design, integration, instrumentation, test, production, and delivery of 25 new F-15IA aircraft for the Israeli Air Force with an option for an additional 25 F-15IA aircraft," the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon said the contract involved foreign military sales to Israel. The U.S. has long been by far the largest arms supplier to its closest Middle East ally.
Pro-Palestinian and anti-war protesters around the U.S. had demanded an end to Washington's military support for Israel due to its devastating assault on Gaza but those demands have not been met in the administrations of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden.
Contract work will be performed in St. Louis, and was expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2035, the Pentagon said in a statement.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio and Nick Zieminski)
