Israel Finalizes Deal for 17 Additional F-35 Stealth Fighters
The Israeli Ministry of Defense has concluded a deal with Lockheed Martin on the purchase of 17 additional aircraft, bringing the total to 50 aircraft. Defense Minister Lieberman said the jets are a "significant and strategic addition to the IAF"
IsraelDefense
| 28/08/2017
Photo Credit: Maj. Ofer / IAF website
The Israeli Defense Ministry has completed the acquisition process of 17 more F-35 stealth jets. The purchase is part of a larger deal to buy a total of 50 F-35 planes, which will enter service in the Israeli Air Force in two squadrons. The initial order of 33 F-35 jets is expected to be completely delivered by 2021.
The purchase of the 17 additional fighter jets, whose delivery will be completed by December 2024, was approved by the cabinet in November 2016 and the contract was signed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Udi Adam, Director-General of IMOD.
The IAF is already in possession of five F-35I "Adir" jets and will receive an additional two next week and another two jets by November. Initial operation capability (IOC) of the first squadron is expected to be announced by December 7, 2017.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the 17 additional jets will be "a significant and strategic" addition to the IAF, adding that "the two squadrons, which will help the IDF and the IAF deal with the many security challenges facing the State of Israel, are central to protecting the security of Israeli citizens along her borders as well as far away from them.” He also noted that the acquisition was further evidence of the depth of the relationship and strength of security relations between Israel and the United States.
Dubi Lavi, the head of the Defense Ministry’s delegation to the US, said that this was the third major acquisition of the F-35 "Adir" in the past decade and that in this transaction Lockheed Martin was able to reduce the average price of each plane to less than $100 million. "This is a significant reduction compared to the planes already purchased by the State of Israel so far," he said.
Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-35s are being purchased as part of the military aid agreement between the US and Israel. Initially, Israel bought 19 F-35s at the cost of $125m per plane, and later 14 jets for $112m each. The cost of the aircraft is expected to drop to around $80m in the coming years.
[Source: The Jerusalem Post]
The Israeli Ministry of Defense has concluded a deal with Lockheed Martin on the purchase of 17 additional aircraft, bringing the total to 50 aircraft. Defense Minister Lieberman said the jets are a "significant and strategic addition to the IAF"
Photo Credit: Maj. Ofer / IAF website
The Israeli Defense Ministry has completed the acquisition process of 17 more F-35 stealth jets. The purchase is part of a larger deal to buy a total of 50 F-35 planes, which will enter service in the Israeli Air Force in two squadrons. The initial order of 33 F-35 jets is expected to be completely delivered by 2021.
The purchase of the 17 additional fighter jets, whose delivery will be completed by December 2024, was approved by the cabinet in November 2016 and the contract was signed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Udi Adam, Director-General of IMOD.
The IAF is already in possession of five F-35I "Adir" jets and will receive an additional two next week and another two jets by November. Initial operation capability (IOC) of the first squadron is expected to be announced by December 7, 2017.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the 17 additional jets will be "a significant and strategic" addition to the IAF, adding that "the two squadrons, which will help the IDF and the IAF deal with the many security challenges facing the State of Israel, are central to protecting the security of Israeli citizens along her borders as well as far away from them.” He also noted that the acquisition was further evidence of the depth of the relationship and strength of security relations between Israel and the United States.
Dubi Lavi, the head of the Defense Ministry’s delegation to the US, said that this was the third major acquisition of the F-35 "Adir" in the past decade and that in this transaction Lockheed Martin was able to reduce the average price of each plane to less than $100 million. "This is a significant reduction compared to the planes already purchased by the State of Israel so far," he said.
Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-35s are being purchased as part of the military aid agreement between the US and Israel. Initially, Israel bought 19 F-35s at the cost of $125m per plane, and later 14 jets for $112m each. The cost of the aircraft is expected to drop to around $80m in the coming years.
[Source: The Jerusalem Post]
