Israel’s Defense Ministry Approves F-35 And F-15I Deal With The United States

Israel’s defense ministry has approved plans to buy two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15I aircraft from the United States, with the deal described as worth “tens of billions of shekels.”

“Israel's Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that the Israeli army will purchase two new squadrons of fighter aircraft, following approval by the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Procurement”

Al-Jazeera Net

In a Sunday announcement, Middle East Eye reported that Israel gave “final approval” for “a plan to purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15Ia aircraft from Lockheed Martin and Boeing,” citing the defense ministry.

Al-Jazeera Net

The Jerusalem Post said the decision would “double the size of its F-35 fleet from 50 to 100 and its new F-15IA fleet from 25 to 50,” framing it as a “blockbuster decision” tied to a post–October 7 security environment.

The Jerusalem Post also stated that the Ministerial Committee on Procurement planned to “simultaneously acquire two new fighter squadrons: a fourth F-35 squadron from Lockheed Martin and a second F-15IA squadron from Boeing.”

It added that the deals, valued at “tens of billions of NIS,” would include “full fleet integration into the Israeli Air Force, comprehensive sustainment, spare parts, and logistics support.”

The Economic Times similarly described the procurement as a first step in a “350 billion shekel ($119 billion) plan,” quoting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying, “We are acquiring two squadrons of advanced aircraft – the F-35 and the F-15IA.”

While the procurement decision was announced on Sunday, multiple sources tied the arms plan to the broader regional conflict context that includes Israel’s war with Iran and ongoing fighting in Gaza and Lebanon.

Yeni Şafak, citing Asharq Al-Awsat, said the procurement committee approved the deal “amid the ongoing aggression against Gaza and Lebanon and escalating tensions with Iran,” and it described the purchase as part of a “350-billion-shekel military-capability enhancement plan.”

BFM

The Jerusalem Post described the decision as reflecting a “radical post-October 7 world,” and it said the government would increase defense spending “over the next 10 years by NIS 350 billion.”

The Economic Times similarly said the deal came “amid Iran war,” describing a “two-month-long war with Tehran” that began with “joint airstrikes.”

The La Nouvelle Tribune report said the acquisitions were justified by “the lessons of the conflict with Iran,” and it described the decision as part of the strategic weapons program named “Israel Shield.”

The جريدة المال report said Israel agreed to purchase two squadrons “as part of a program to upgrade the air force's capabilities,” and it stated the deal was expected to be funded through an annual U.S. military aid package “amounts to about $3.8 billion.”

Israeli officials and defense figures framed the procurement as necessary for air superiority and long-term readiness, repeatedly linking the decision to lessons from recent conflict.

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Boursorama

The Jerusalem Post quoted Defense Minister Israel Katz and Director-General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram as bringing the procurement before the Committee as part of the ministry’s “broader strategy to strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security.”

It also quoted Baram saying, “The approval of this procurement is the first major step in executing the 350-billion-NIS force buildup plan for an intense security decade ahead,” and it added that “Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, we have a responsibility to act now to secure the IDF’s military edge ten years from now and beyond.”

The Economic Times quoted Netanyahu saying, “Operation Roaring Lion once again demonstrated the Israeli Air Force’s power and its decisive role in protecting Israel,” and it said Netanyahu added that “The lessons of that campaign require us to keep pressing forward on force buildup, to ensure air superiority for decades to come.”

The Economic Times also quoted Katz saying the war with Iran demonstrated “the air force's power and its decisive role in protecting Israel,” and it cited Katz’s statement that the aircraft would lead to “a significant technological leap in integrating autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defence systems, and establishing Israeli military dominance in space.”

Even the La Nouvelle Tribune report echoed the same logic, quoting Defense Minister Yoav Katz as saying, “Our role is clear: to ensure that the IDF has the tools, capabilities, and the power necessary to operate at any time and in any arena.”

The sources present different figures for the scale and cost of the procurement, and they also differ on how the deal is described in financial terms.

The Middle East Eye report said the plan was “worth tens of billions of shekels,” while the Jerusalem Post described the budget increase as “NIS 350 billion” over “the next 10 years,” and it said the deals were valued at “tens of billions of NIS.”

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The Economic Times described the plan as “350 billion shekel ($119 billion),” and it said the procurement was approved by Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement.

The جريدة المال report, however, said the deal was “worth $3.8 billion,” and it described the funding as expected to be “through the annual U.S. military aid package to Israel, which amounts to about $3.8 billion.”

Another discrepancy appears in how the aircraft totals are discussed: the Jerusalem Post said Israel would double fleets from “50 to 100” for F-35 and from “25 to 50” for F-15IA, while the جريدة المال report said the ministry said the deal includes “about 25 additional F-35 aircraft, bringing the Israeli fleet of this type to 75 aircraft.”

The Economic Times also referenced a December “$8.6 billion contract to Boeing” that included “25 new F-15IAs and an option for 25 more.”

Beyond the immediate F-35 and F-15IA procurement, the sources describe a wider arms and defense ecosystem that includes U.S. approvals, integration plans, and related weapons packages.

“On Sunday, May 3, the Israeli ministerial committee responsible for military acquisitions approved the purchase of two new fighter-jet squadrons, a decision that follows the ongoing strengthening of the country’s military capabilities”

La Nouvelle Tribune

The Jerusalem Post said that after the Committee’s approval, “Baram directed the ministry's Mission to the US to move forward with finalizing the agreements with the American government and military counterparts in the coming period.”

La Nouvelle Tribune

The La Nouvelle Tribune report said the contract included “not only the aircraft themselves, but also their integration into the operational structures of the Air Force, the support systems, spare parts and the associated logistics,” and it added that “No delivery schedule was specified in the official announcement.”

The جريدة المال report said the ministry expected the deal to be funded through U.S. military aid and described the F-35 and F-15I as supporting “long-range operations with high precision” and “qualitative air superiority.”

The أهل مصر report added that the U.S. State Department issued a decision on Friday approving a possible military sales package, with a total value estimated at “$992.4 million,” and it quoted the statement that the Government of Israel requested to purchase “10,000 units of the second-generation APKWS-II fully assembled.”

The Times of Israël discussed the U.S. doctrine aimed at preserving Israel’s “qualitative military edge,” quoting researcher Zain Hussain saying, “Exporting F-35s to other states in the region would constitute a major shift in that policy.”