"At [a] time when some of our adversaries aim to undermine our ties with our greatest ally, we only further strengthen our alliance,” Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said of signing the $3 billion deal.
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
on June 05, 2024
An Israeli Air Force official marshals an F-35I Adir to its spot after a Red Flag mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada (US Air Force)
JERUSALEM — Israel’s Ministry of Defense has signed a $3 billion deal with the US government for a third squadron of twenty-five F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, the government announced Tuesday.
The signing of the Letter of Acceptance between US and Israeli government officials seals the order, which was agreed to in July 2023 after years of consideration by the MoD about the right number of the fifth-gen stealth fighters needed by the IDF.
“The procurement of the third F-35 squadron reflects the strength of the strategic alliance between Israel and the United States. This capability has a significant impact on arenas both near and far. At [a] time when some of our adversaries aim to undermine our ties with our greatest ally, we only further strengthen our alliance,” Israel’s Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant said.
That last line from Gallant is notable, as relations between the US and Israel are in a rocky place at the moment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden are locked in a staring contest over a potential plan to end the conflict in Gaza, which began after Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli on Oct. 7 2023, and there is a growing chorus within the US to restrict or outright end arms support to Israel.
The 25 warplanes, known as the “Adir” in Israel, will be manufactured by Lockheed Martin and the deal comes “complete with support and maintenance services,” the ministry said in its statement. The planes will be delivered beginning in 2028, with three to five arriving every year — meaning it could take until 2036 for all the aircraft to arrive.
...
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/06/ami ... warplanes/
