NEWTOWN, Conn. - The General Electric F110 engine program got a boost from the sale of 84 F-15 fighter to Saudi Arabia, and is expected to remain in production until 2018-2019. F-15 deliveries to Singapore will be completed in 2012, leaving no other orders to fill. Boeing has offered the USAF an upgraded version of the F-15E called the F-15E+ but the air force is not interested in aircraft lacking low-observable technology.

Boeing is developing a stealthy export variant of the F-15 called the Silent Eagle with the F-15SE designation, but as of this writing no orders for the new jet have been taken. South Korea remains the best hope for sales of the F-15SE. Saudi Arabia recently purchased 72 Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, and re-engined many of their existing F-15s with the F110, so they are probably not a likely candidate for new F-15s.

Qatar has launched a competition to purchase fighters to replace an aging fleet of Mirage 2000s. Boeing's F-15 will reportedly be among the types considered, and the Qatari government plans to make its selection before the endo f 2012.

Japan had been considered a likely buyer for new F-15s as that country already operates a sizable fleet of F-15s. Most recently Japan purchased F-35s in place of the F-22s it originally wanted because of the F-22 export block from the U.S. Congress.

Lockheed Martin's F-16 is the other application for the F110, and stands to pick up orders from countries upgrading older aircraft but not wanting to spend the money for the F-35. The U.S. Air Force has a large F-16 fleet, and in 2009 engaged in a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for the F110 engines powering those aircraft. The program resulted in redesigned components such as the combustor, high-pressure turbine, compressor and augmentor. The goal is to achieve a 20 percent improvement in non-recoverable in-flight shutdown, a 25 percent improvement in cost per flight-hour and a 50 percent extension in engine phase inspections. The USAF anticipates over $1 billion in savings over the life of the program. As of this writing the SLEP program is almost complete, and efforts are now focused on international customers.