Israel to Buy 25 F-35 Aircraft from the US in $3B Deal –  Its Arsenal of the Stealth Fighter Jets Increases By 50%

Israel to Buy 25 F-35 Aircraft from the US in $3B Deal –  Its Arsenal of the Stealth Fighter Jets Increases By 50%

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Israel will buy 25 F-35 aircraft from the United States, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced Sunday, in a deal that increases Israel’s arsenal of the stealth fighter jets by 50%, as was reported by the AP. This procurement will bring the Israeli Air Force’s F-35i fleet to a total of 75 aircraft in the coming years.

The F-35 is the world’s most advanced fighter jet, and Israel is the only country in the Middle East to fly them. The AP also reported that the $3 billion purchase, which increases the Israeli fleet of F-35 jets from 50 to 75, is set to be finalized in the coming months, the ministry said.

The Times of Israel reported that the decision to acquire the additional 25 F-35 jets was approved by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant based on the recommendation put forth by IDF Chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Director General of the Ministry Eyal Zamir, and the Chief of the Israeli Air Force Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar. The Defense Ministry stated that an official letter of request (LOR) would be issued to the US military’s F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, paving the way for the approval and signing of the transaction in the months to come, the TOI reported on Sunday.

The estimated value of the deal is $3 billion, which will be financed by the US military aid provided to Israel. Israel is the second country, after the United States, to receive the F-35 from the aircraft manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, as was reported by the TOI. Moreover, Israel is one of the few countries authorized to modify these state-of-the-art aircraft to suit their specific needs.

Lockheed Martin and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney have committed to involving Israeli defense industries in the production of aircraft components sold. This agreement aims to ensure the continued cooperation between American companies and Israeli defense industries in the production of aircraft parts.

“The new agreement will ensure the continuation of cooperation between American companies and Israeli defense industries in the production of aircraft parts,” the statement read, as was reported by the AP on Sunday.

The move to expand the Israeli arsenal comes at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel, which considers Iran its greatest enemy, has previously used F-35 jets to shoot down Iranian drones, and has threatened to carry out a long-range strike on Iranian nuclear targets.

The AP also reported that Israel accuses Iran of trying to develop a nuclear weapon — a charge Iran denies — and is believed to be behind a string of attacks on Iranian nuclear experts and facilities inside Iran over the years.

Joshua Shani, CEO of Lockheed Martin Israel, expressed his company’s honor at Israel’s intent to purchase additional F-35s. The TOI also reported that he acknowledged the Israeli Air Force’s capabilities demonstrated with the 116th and 140th squadrons and emphasized the importance of the F-35’s features, such as stealth, sensor fusion, and electronic warfare, in keeping the Israeli Air Force ahead of current and evolving threats.

Israel had previously agreed to purchase 50 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, with deliveries taking place in batches of twos and threes until 2024, as was reported by the TOI.  As of November 2022, 36 F-35i jets had already been delivered to Israel. The TOI report said that the first two F-35 jets arrived in December 2016, and within a year, the aircraft, known in Israel as the Adir, were declared operational. Israel then became the first country to acknowledge using the F-35s in operational bombing raids.

The F-35, classified as a fifth-generation fighter, has been praised by the Israeli military as a “game-changer” due to its offensive capabilities, stealth technology, and its ability to connect its systems with other aircraft, forming a robust information-sharing network.

With the acquisition of the third F-35i squadron, Israel aims to further enhance its air defense capabilities and maintain its technological edge in the region. The advanced features and versatility of the F-35 will undoubtedly play a crucial role in protecting Israel’s borders and citizens for years to come.

Israel, which has sought to counter Iranian entrenchment in neighboring Syria, conducted an airstrike on the Syrian city of Homs on Sunday, one of hundreds of strikes on government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, according to the AP report. The strike caused material damage but no casualties, the Syrian military said in a statement.

A Syrian anti-aircraft missile exploded over Israeli territory, the Israeli military said, prompting another round of strikes.

Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official as saying the air defenses shot down some of the missiles fired by Israeli warplanes flying over neighboring Lebanon, as was indicated in the AP report.

Israeli authorities did not comment on the airstrike on Homs, the AP report said. But the military said one of the Syrian air defense missiles exploded over Israeli territory without causing any damage. Israeli police said the rocket’s remains landed in the southern Israeli city of Rahat.

In response to the rocket, Israeli jets struck the air defense battery from where the anti-aircraft rocket was launched. The military said it also struck other targets, without elaborating.

The AP report also stated that Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of neighboring Syria in recent years, but it rarely acknowledges them.

The last suspected Israeli airstrike on Syria was on June 14, near the capital Damascus that left one soldier wounded.