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Reflecto News | Breaking News | Defense & Geopolitics
JERUSALEM — Israel has officially approved the purchase of two new squadrons of advanced fighter jets from the United States, acquiring an additional squadron of F-35I “Adir” stealth fighters from Lockheed Martin and a second squadron of F-15IA “Ra’am” aircraft from Boeing in a deal valued at tens of billions of shekels .
The decision, announced by the Defense Ministry on Sunday, comes as Israel looks to lessons learned from the recent Iran war and implements a massive 350 billion shekel (approximately $95 billion) decade-long military buildup plan .
The acquisition resolves a long-running internal debate over whether to focus future defense budgets on stealth capabilities (F-35s) or heavy payload and speed (F-15s). After two wars with Iran in the last year—during which the IAF relied heavily on both existing F-35s and aging F-15s—the government decided to massively increase the budget to acquire both platforms .
✈️ The Jets: F-35I “Adir” and F-15IA “Ra’am”
F-35I “Adir” (F-35 Lightning II)
The F-35I is a stealth multirole fighter, locally designated “Adir” (mighty), designed to penetrate advanced air defenses undetected. It is a critical asset for deep strikes against heavily defended targets such as Iranian nuclear facilities.
- Current Fleet Size: Israel currently operates 48 F-35I jets .
- Expansion Goal: Following this purchase, Israel aims to bring its F-35I fleet to 100 aircraft in the coming years .
F-15IA “Ra’am” (F-15EX Eagle II)
The F-15IA is the Israeli-specific variant of the new F-15EX Eagle II, locally designated “Ra’am” (thunder). Unlike the stealth-focused F-35, the F-15IA is designed for high speed, exceptional payload capacity, and long-range strike missions. These jets are intended to replace Israel’s aging fleet of approximately 70 older-model F-15s, many of which have been in service for decades .
- Current Fleet Size: Israel ordered 25 F-15IA jets in a 2024 deal .
- Expansion Goal: With this new approval, Israel will double its order to a total fleet of 50 F-15IA aircraft .
🤝 Budget and Timeline
The purchase is the first major implementation of the “Shield of Israel” (Magen Israel) plan, a 350 billion shekel (approx. $95 billion) force buildup budget approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a demanding security decade ahead .
Delivery Timeline
The jets will be delivered in stages over the coming years:
- 25 F-35Is ordered in 2023: Expected delivery starting in 2028 .
- 25 F-15IAs ordered in 2024: First aircraft expected starting in 2031 .
- The new jets from this weekend’s approval will be delivered after those tranches are completed.
The deals include comprehensive sustainment, spare parts, logistics support, and full integration into the Israeli Air Force .
🛡️ Strategic Rationale: Lessons from the Iran War
Defense officials explicitly cited lessons from “Operation Roaring Lion” — the 40‑day conflict with Iran — to justify the urgency of the purchase .
According to Defense Minister Israel Katz, the recent war “once again demonstrated the Israeli Air Force’s power and its decisive role in protecting Israel. The lessons of that campaign require us to keep pressing forward on force buildup, to ensure air superiority for decades to come” .
Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram added that the approval is “the first major step in executing the 350-billion-NIS force buildup plan for an intense security decade ahead.”
“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 complementary capabilities of these two squadrons will give the Israeli Air Force the flexibility to handle a broad range of combat scenarios,” Baram said .
Katz also noted that as part of the “Shield of Israel” plan, the IAF will be expected to lead a “major technological leap—integrating autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defense systems, and establishing Israeli military dominance, both defensive and offensive, in space” .
📋 Key Takeaways at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Platforms | F-35I “Adir” (Lockheed Martin) & F-15IA “Ra’am” (Boeing) |
| Current F-35I Fleet | 48 jets (growing to 100) |
| Current F-15IA Fleet | 25 ordered initially (growing to 50) |
| Deal Value | Tens of billions of shekels |
| Total Plan Budget | 350 billion shekels (~$95 billion) for decade‑long buildup |
| Strategic Context | Lessons learned from Iran war (“Operation Roaring Lion”) |
| Primary Goals | Ensure air superiority; deep strike capability against Iran; replace aging F-15 fleet |
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