Jerusalem: Israel will buy 25 F-35 fighter jets from the US in the coming days, which will increase its arsenal of ‘Stealth’ fighter jets by up to 50 percent. The Defense Ministry announced on Sunday that the F-35 stealth jets are the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world and Israel is the only country in West Asia that has these fighter jets. The $3 billion deal will be finalized in the coming months. With this, Israel’s fleet of F-35 aircraft will increase from 50 to 75.
According to the ministry, the deal will be funded through US military aid to Israel, and the aircraft manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, and its engine manufacturer, Pratt & Whitney, have committed to involve Israeli companies in the production process.
“The new agreement will ensure continuity of cooperation between US companies and Israeli defense industries in the production of aircraft components,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israel has made this announcement to increase its arsenal at a time when tensions between Israel and Iran have increased. Israel, which considers Iran its biggest enemy, has also previously used F-35 aircraft to shoot down Iranian drones and has also threatened to launch long-range attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
