Today's severe weather conditions and heavy fog in Italy prevented two F-35 aircraft from making the journey to Israel on time. However, after the weather cleared in the late afternoon, the fighter planes were able to take off.
These two planes are the first of the 50 top-notch fighter aircraft procured from the US, which will be known as the "Adir" in the Israeli Air Force. They had originally planned to land at 2 pm at the Nevatim airbase in southern Israel, in a festive ceremony with the participation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, Chief of General Staff Gadi Eizenkot and overseas guests, including US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. The ceremony will likely be held later this evening.
Almost at the time when the planes were already due to land in Israel, the IDF Spokesperson announced that they did not take off from the Cameri airbase in Italy, where they have stopped on their way from the US since the weekend.
The new fighter aircraft are capable of flying in severe weather conditions, as well as in complex combat theaters, but their flight to Israel is considered an administrative, rather than an operational flight, which subjects it to stringent safety regulations.
In the past few days, the Israeli Air Force has completed preparations to receive the advanced, fifth generation, airplanes. The delivery of all 50 airplanes ordered from Lockheed Martin is expected by 2022. A few days ago, the security cabinet approved the purchase of 17 additional F-35s, in addition to the 33 already ordered in two rounds in the past six years. The price of one airplane is estimated at $110 million.
In 2017, seven more F-35 aircraft will land in Israel: three will be delivered to the Air Force in April and the remaining four in September. The planes will attain initial operating capability by the end of 2017.
The Adir fighter aircraft is known primarily for its low radar signature, which provides it with stealth capabilities enabling operation in areas with advanced air defense systems.
Alongside stealth aircraft ordered from the US, the Israeli Air Force has also acquired simulators used to train future F-35 pilots. Israeli pilots expected to the fly the Adir have already undergone extensive instruction in the US, but have not yet piloted the aircraft. Israeli pilots will fly the aircraft for the first time only after the first two F-35s arrive in Israel.
In the next few years, advanced systems developed by Israel's defense industries will gradually be installed on the stealth fighters. These are command and control (C2), electronic warfare and ordnance systems, and more. They will adapt the capabilities of the advanced plane to the operational needs of Israel's defense establishment.
The F-35s have been purchased using US aid funds. In the next few years, the defense establishment is expected to decide on whether to procure an additional F-35 squadron. In such a case, it will consider buying the short takeoff/vertical landing variant, which is more expensive than the variant of the 50 aircraft already bought. The Air Force and Ministry of Defense have not yet decided whether to pursue a purchase of a third stealth aircraft squadron or instead request to purchase advanced F-15 planes offered by US weapons and aviation giant Boeing.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 12, 2016
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