Israel Finalizes Purchase of 17 More F-35 Fighters Jets

i24News reports: Israel has wrapped up its purchase of seventeen additional F-35 fighter jets from US industrial giant Lockheed Martin, in a deal that will ultimately equip the air force with fifty of the state-of-the-art warplanes.

The purchase deal concludes the acquisition process from the troubled US Joint Strike Fighter program, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement on Sunday. ”

The completion of the deal to purchase 17 additional F-35s is a significant and strategic addition to the air force and … will help the IDF and the air force deal with the many security challenges facing the State of Israel,” said Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. He added that the aircraft, which have been criticized by President Donald Trump for their $400 billion price tag, “are central to protecting the security of Israeli citizens along the borders and even outside them.

The signing of the transaction is further evidence of the depth of the relationship and security relations between our great friend the United States and the State of Israel.”