9 of the aircraft, known in Israel as the Adir, have been delivered, with 41 more to come.
A year after the delivery of the first two F-35 stealth fighters, known in Israel as Adir, the Israel Air Force has announced that the planes are now in operational use. Over the past year, US manufacturer Lockheed Martin supplied Israel with nine of the 50 stealth fighters ordered in three groups by Israel in recent years. A single plane was priced at $100-110 million.
The first Israel Air Force F-35 squadron is called "Golden Eagle" (Squadron 140). Israel is the first country in the world outside the US to make operational use of the planes. "The announcement of the operational fitness of the squadron is being made at a time when the air force is operating on a large scale on several fronts in a Middle East that is constantly changing and being reshaped," Israel Air Force commander Major General Amikam Norkin wrote in a special letter to air force soldiers. "The operational challenge, which is becoming more difficulty by the day, is getting a state-of-the-art and professional aerial solution. Making the Adir operational adds a significant layer to the air force's capability at the current time."
41 more F-35s will land in Israel in the coming years, and Israel is still considering whether to buy a third squadron of the fighters, thereby increasing its total order to 75 planes.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on December 7, 2017
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