Israel gave final approval for a plan to purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15IA advanced fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin and Boeing in a deal worth tens of billions of dollars, the defence ministry said on Sunday.
The deal, approved by Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement, is a first step in a 350 billion shekel ($119 billion) plan to bolster Israel’s military and “strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security,” it said.
F-35s find and expose targets inside contested airspace and reduce key threats. F-15IAs deliver long range heavier and more numerous and/or follow-on strikes efficiently, often from outside war zone and can remain in flight longer without refuelling.
Both can defend themselves and contribute to air-to-air combat if needed, but their main synergy is stealth and sensing on one side, payload and reach on the other.
Liar or delusional or propagandist?
Israel since WW2? 100-300 thousand.