The first two F-15i planes purchased by the Israel Airforce in the US under a $2.2 billion deal landed today at the airforce base at Hatzerim, and were incorporated in the squadron which previously flew the Phantom. The planes were flown from the US, refuelling in Europe, and piloted by US airforce pilots.
The remaining 23 planes in the deal will be incorporated by the end of the year, after Israel exercises its option to purchase four additional planes, beyond the basic deal which called for 21 planes. The F-15i is competing in a replenishment tender for future fighter planes, and manufacturers Boeing submitted a bid to the Ministry of Defense, in a tender to be decided upon in October.
Senior sources at the Ministry of Defense told "Globes" that, despite the fact that the final price of the F-15i stood at $84 million, the basic price amounted to $47 million. The price rise stems from a demand to install state-of-the-art avionics and combat systems.
The F-15i, manufactured by MacDonell Douglas which merged with Boeing, was chosen after competing against the F-16, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It is a strategic assault aircraft, capable of reaching longer distances than any other Israel Airforce planes, including as far as Iran and remote points in Iraq, remaining for extended periods in the target area, and attacking by night in all weathers.
Senior sources at the Ministry of Defense told "Globes" that the F-15I deal, the largest ever between the US and Israel, accounted for a substantial part of the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) replenishment budget, up to the year 2000, and delayed procurement deals for other corps, including the airforce itself.
A senior source in charge of replenishments in the airforce told "Globes" that it is estimated that the next deal for planes will be less expensive, since production lines of the F-15 and the F-16 in the US are expected to close down and be replaced by the manufacture of alternative planes.
Published by Israel's Business Arena January 19, 1998