Jerusalem, 2 January, 2022 (TPS) — The Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Mission to the US signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) for the purchase of 12 Lockheed Martin CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters and two Boeing KC-46 refueling aircraft, a phase in the IDF’s general upgrading of its units’ hardware.

The CH-53 will replace the IAF’s 50-year-old “Yasur” helicopters. The scope of the agreement is estimated at $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) funding, granted by the US to Israel. The agreement was signed on Thursday with the US Navy by the Head of the Mission, Brig. Gen. (Res.), Michel Ben Baruch. The agreement includes an option to procure six additional helicopters. The first helicopters are expected in Israel in 2026.

The Head of Mission signed an additional agreement for the procurement of two Boeing KC-46 refueling aircraft. The agreement amounts to approximately $1.1 billion. The platform will be adapted to meet the IAF’s operational requirements and Israeli systems will be integrated into aircraft.

The refueling aircraft are seen as an important component of a possible Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program.

The procurement of these platforms is part of a large-scale program undertaken by the Ministry of Defense together with the IDF over the last year and a half, “with the aim of strengthening the IDF’s capabilities, force buildup and preparedness to face existing and future threats,” the Ministry of Defense stated.

The procurement plans include the purchase of a new fleet of F-35 aircraft, refueling aircraft, CH-53K helicopters, advanced air munition, air defense systems, new marine and land platforms as well as cyber systems.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz stated that “these procurement agreements are significant milestones in the IDF’s force buildup processes. We continue to strengthen our capabilities and to change and adapt our Air Force to face future challenges both near and far.”