“This sends a powerful message to our enemies across the region.”
Jerusalem:
Israel said Tuesday it has signed a $3 billion deal to purchase a third squadron of 25 advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin, with delivery set to begin in 2028.
“At a time when some of our adversaries are seeking to undermine our ties with our greatest ally, we are only further strengthening our alliance,” Defense Secretary Yoav Gallant said in a statement announcing the deal.
“This sends a powerful message to our enemies across the region.”
The Defense Ministry said the deal would bring the number of F-35s in the Israeli fleet to 75.
“Delivery of the aircraft to the IDF (army) will begin in 2028 at a rate of three to five aircraft per year,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East with F-35s, the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft that have stealth capabilities and can be used to gather intelligence, strike deep into enemy territory and engage in aerial duels.
In May 2018, the Israeli military said it was the first country to use F-35s in combat.
Even before the war with Hamas broke out on October 7, Israel had launched hundreds of attacks on Syrian territory during that country’s war years, mainly targeting Iranian-backed forces and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, as well as Syrian army positions.
In April, Iran carried out its first-ever direct attack on Israel using more than 300 drones and missiles as the war with Hamas raged in Gaza.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
