Israel approves purchase of fighter jets from the US

Israel has given final approval for a multibillion-dollar deal to buy two new combat squadrons of advanced F-35 and F-15IA fighter jets from United States manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the Ministry of Defence says.

Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement signed off on the deal as the initial phase of a 350-billion-shekel ($119bn) programme to boost the country’s armed forces and “strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security”, it said on Sunday.

“Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, ‌‌we have a responsibility to act now to secure the [military’s] edge 10 years from now and beyond,” Defence Ministry Director General Amir Baram said.

The continuing US-Israel war on Iran “reinforced just how critical the US-Israel strategic relationship is and how essential advanced air power remains”, he added.

Under the deal, Israel would buy a fourth F-35 squadron from Lockheed Martin and a second squadron of F-15IA fighter jets from Boeing.

In December, Boeing was given an $8.6bn ⁠⁠contract for Israel, including 25 new F-15IAs and an option for 25 more.

Baram ⁠⁠said the next step would be to move forward with finalising the agreements with the US government and military.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the purchase “reinforces Israel’s overwhelming air superiority – a superiority that was demonstrated in Am KeLavi [12-day war on Iran] and now in Shaagat HaAri [ongoing war in Iran]”.

“Our pilots are prepared to reach anywhere in Iranian airspace if required,” he added.

‘Keep pressing forward’

The US and Israel launched a war on Iran on February 28, but a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8. ⁠⁠The US Navy maintains a blockade of Iranian ports.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the US-Israel war on Iran demonstrated the air force’s power and its decisive role ⁠⁠in protecting Israel.

“The lessons of that campaign require us to keep ⁠⁠pressing forward on force build-up to ensure air superiority for decades to come,” he said.

Katz said the new aircraft would ‌‌lead to a significant technological leap in integrating autonomous flight capabilities and next-generation defence systems and in establishing Israeli military dominance in space.