F-15 jobs in St. Louis tangled in Mideast politics

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | Mar 13, 2016 | Jim Gallagher

[sukhoi-30mki]

The fate of the F-15 assembly line in St. Louis, and thousands of jobs tied to it, may hinge on the White House’s attitude toward a tiny oil-rich monarchy that sometimes riles its Arab neighbors in the Persian Gulf.

The Emirate of Qatar wants to buy at least 36 of the air-superiority jets, and possibly 72, but the purchase has been held up for two years as the administration of President Barack Obama ponders whether to allow it.

The issue is entangled in the shifting geopolitics and strained alliances of the Middle East, along with Israel’s concern that the sale may shrink its military advantage.

Boeing is now busy building F-15s for Saudi Arabia and has enough work to keep the line running to 2019. Absent new orders, the line will shut down then.

The Qatar order is now the best bet for extending production beyond that, although Israel might order more F-15s if the United States increases aid to the nation.

The F-15 line “does have a finite life at this point,” says Chris Higgins, defense analyst at Morningstar in Chicago.

Also on hold is an order from Kuwait for 28 F/A-18 Super Hornet attack jets, also made by Boeing in north St. Louis County.

Boeing has enough orders for the Hornet and its electronic warfare cousin, the EA-18 Growler, to take production into 2018. The Kuwait orders, plus planes that the U.S. Navy is requesting, would carry the work into 2020.

Boeing also is pitching Hornets to Denmark, Belgium, Finland and Canada.

“The F/A-18 is relatively better positioned in the international market,” Higgins said. The Hornet is benefiting from problems slowing the rollout of the F-35, the newest advanced fighter made by Lockheed Martin.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Source: Boeing

F-15 TIMELINE

1967 • McDonnell Aircraft selected to enter U.S. Air Force FX competition.

1969 • McDonnell Douglas awarded the F-15 Advanced Tactical Fighter contract.

1972 • James S. McDonnell, founder of McDonnell Aircraft, christens the F-15 "Eagle." USAF approves full-rate production.

1986 • The newly developed F-15E Strike Eagle makes its inaugural flight from St. Louis.

1991 • F-15C, D, and E models participate in Operation Desert Storm. Later, the fighter aircraft also see extensive service in Bosnia, Afghanistan and again Iraq. More than 1,500 F-15s have been manufactured.

Source: Boeing Co.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I also support Israel but in this case the losers would be American jobs. If we don’t sell these jets European manufactures are ready to step in to fill the orders at a moment’s notice.

[sukhoi-30mki]

European manufacturers have already stepped in in this case of Qatar. France is selling 24 + 12 Rafales. I guess the Israelis are peeved with the fact that the Qatar wants heavy-duty fighters like the F-15 when the F-16 is more than adequate for them.

I really don’t think most of these countries will hitch their bets with only one country/vendor given the way U.S. policy seems to have changed in recent years. Kuwait, the U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, and even Qatar has signed enough deals with both U.S. and European vendors in recent years.

[husky ed]

Beautiful picture of one of my favorite planes. Thanks

Ed
btw; the F-4 is my favorite. I think I built 10 models of it when I was a kid ;-)