Israel to Acquire More F-35 and F-15EX Fighters

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In the post-October 7 era, Israel is expected to double its fleets of both aircraft, potentially leading to a windfall for their US manufacturers.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) could soon be flying more American-made aircraft—excellent news for Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the two main manufacturers of Israeli aircraft. Specifically, the IAF is seeking to double both its F-35 Lightning II/Adir and F-15IA fleets, increasing their fleets of the respective aircraft from 50 to 100 and from 25 to 50.

“The decision reflects a radical post-October 7 world: Israel will increase defense spending over the next 10 years,” The Jerusalem Post reported. Israel is expected to increase its spending by NIS 350 billion ($119 billion) over that period.

The October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks conducted by Hamas from Gaza sparked the largest conflict in the Middle East in decades. This was soon followed by two conflicts with Iran, a backer of Hamas as well as the Lebanon-based Hezbollah. Those events have spurred Israel to increase the fleets of both aircraft, as the F-35I Adirs, the Israel-specific variant........

© The National Interest