JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli defence ministry said on Thursday it had signed an agreement to acquire 25 next generation F-15 fighter jets from Boeing Co. ( BA )

It said the $5.2 billion agreement was part of a broader package of U.S. aid approved by the U.S. administration and Congress earlier this year and included an option for 25 additional aircraft.

The aircraft will be equipped with weapons systems integrated with existing Israeli weapons as well as having increased range and payloads.

"These advantages will enable the Israeli Air Force to maintain its strategic superiority in addressing current and future challenges in the Middle East," the ministry said in a statement.

Delivery of the F-15 aircraft will begin in 2031, with 4-6 aircraft to be supplied annually, it said.

"This F-15 squadron, alongside the third F-35 squadron procured earlier this year, represents a historic enhancement of our air power and strategic reach - capabilities that proved crucial during the current war," the director general of the defence ministry, Eyal Zamir, said in the statement.