IAF Readies for Arrival of F-35 Fighter Jets

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot and other military officials will welcome the newest addition to Israel’s air force fleet, the F-35 fighter jet, known in Hebrew as the “Adir.”

The planes are scheduled to arrive at the Nevatim Air Base, in southern Israel, at 2 p.m. Monday.

IAF officials told Israel Radio that the the new arrivals indicate the beginning of the biggest development in Israel’s air capacity for the past 40 years. They say the planes’ stealth technologies and advanced combat features will ensure Israel’s military superiority in the region for decades to come.

Israel Radio military correspondent Carmela Menashe said that air force officials believe that Israel will be the first country outside the United States to bring the aircraft into service, by the end of 2017. She also said the plane is capable of flying a wide variety of combat missions, in all areas of the Middle East, including Iran, with the ability to repel heavy threats.

IAF commanders have described the new arrival as a “groundbreaking leap forward,” one that will allow Israeli pilots to pursue a range of strategic missions with a high likelihood of survival.

As noted, the IDF plans for the planes to be operational within the year.