Israel to buy more F-35 and F-15 warplanes

JERUSALEM — The Israeli government’s ministerial committee for acquisitions has approved the parallel purchase of two new squadrons: a fourth squadron of F-35I fighters manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and a second squadron of F-15IA fighters manufactured by Boeing, according to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry and a military spokesman.

The statement vaguely noted that “the scope of the transactions is estimated at tens of billions of shekels and includes the absorption of the squadrons into the Air Force, comprehensive support, spare parts and logistics.”

The purchase is meant as “the first step in Israel’s force-building plan for the coming decade, with a total designated budget of 350 billion shekels ($118 billion),” the government said.

The announcement did not specify the number of aircraft to be purchased.

Israel already ordered a third squadron of F-35I in July 2023, consisting of 25 new aircraft bought for $3 billion in American aid money and expected to be delivered starting in 2028. It also ordered 25 F-15IA aircraft as part of an $8.6 billion American aid package last December. The procurement agreement at the time included an option to expand the purchase to 25 additional aircraft in the future.

The Israeli Defense Ministry notes that the Israeli Air Force will be required to make a “technological leap, including the development of autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defense systems, and the establishment of Israeli military superiority, defensive and offensive, and in space” as part of Israel’s air force building plan.

Following the approval by the ministerial committee, the director-general of the Defense Ministry instructed the Israeli procurement delegation in the United States to proceed with the signing of the deals with the American government and military officials.

The F-35I is a stealth aircraft capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory and operating against advanced anti-aircraft systems. The uniqueness of the Israeli model lies in the integration of Israeli-made electronic warfare, communication and control systems into the aircraft’s closed software. Receiving the fourth squadron will increase Israel’s F-35I aircraft to approximately 100 — double what it currently possesses.

The F-15IA is Boeing’s Israeli variant of the F-15EX, designed for heavy engagement and long-range missions. It boasts an immense payload capacity of up to 29,500 pounds, a digital fly-by-wire system, and advanced radar. Upon receiving the second squadron, Israel will also double the number of these aircraft to 50.

The two new squadrons are being sought amid tensions with Teheran and due to “operational lessons from Operation Lion Roar,” the Israeli announcement said, “in order to ensure the superiority of the Israeli Air Force in the coming decades.”

Tzally Greenberg is the Israel correspondent for Defense News. He has experience reporting on economic affairs as well as defense and cyber companies.

耶路撒冷——以色列国防部和一位军方发言人发表声明称，以色列政府的采购部长级委员会已批准同时购买两个新的战斗机中队：第四个由洛克希德·马丁公司制造的F-35I战斗机中队，以及第二个由波音公司制造的F-15IA战斗机中队。

声明含糊地指出，“交易规模估计达数百亿谢克尔，包括将这些中队并入空军、提供全面支持、备件和后勤保障。”

以色列政府表示，此次采购是“以色列未来十年军事建设计划的第一步，总预算为3500亿谢克尔（1180亿美元）。”

公告并未具体说明将购买多少架飞机。

以色列已于2023年7月订购了第三个F-35I战斗机中队，共25架新飞机，耗资30亿美元，资金来自美国援助，预计将于2028年开始交付。此外，以色列还在去年12月订购了25架F-15IA战斗机，作为美国86亿美元援助计划的一部分。当时的采购协议包含未来增购25架飞机的选择权。

以色列国防部指出，作为以色列空军建设计划的一部分，以色列空军将被要求实现“技术飞跃，包括发展自主飞行能力、下一代防御系统，以及建立以色列在防御、进攻和太空领域的军事优势”。

在部长级委员会批准后，国防部总干事指示以色列驻美采购代表团与美国政府和军方官员继续推进协议的签署工作。

F-35I 是一款隐形战机，能够深入敌方领空并对抗先进的防空系统。以色列版 F-35I 的独特之处在于，它将以色列自主研发的电子战、通信和控制系统集成到飞机的封闭式软件中。第四个中队的加入将使以色列的 F-35I 战机数量增加到约 100 架，是目前数量的两倍。

F-15IA是波音公司为以色列研制的F-15EX改进型，专为重型空战和远程任务而设计。它拥有高达29,500磅的有效载荷能力、数字电传操纵系统和先进雷达。以色列接收第二个中队后，该型战机的数量也将翻一番，达到50架。

以色列方面宣布，鉴于与德黑兰的紧张关系以及“从‘狮吼行动’中吸取的作战经验教训”，以色列正在寻求组建两个新的中队，“以确保以色列空军在未来几十年内保持优势”。

特扎利·格林伯格是《防务新闻》的以色列记者。他拥有丰富的经济事务以及国防和网络安全公司报道经验。