After heavy pressure from Missouri and Illinois legislators, Congressional negotiators are preparing to add five Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles to the FY2001 defense budget, now making its way through Congress. The Pentagon had not requested money for the new fighters in the budget, but the program employs 5,000 people in the St. Louis area and enjoys strong support from powerful Missouri politicians such as Republican Senator Christopher Bond and House minority leader Dick Gephardt. The additional five aircraft will keep production moving after current orders for Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Air Force are completed. With the new order, the F-15 remains in contention for South Korea's F-X program, which calls for 80 twin-engined fighters.