BICOM

Israel’s Defence Minister attended a roll-out ceremony yesterday for the first F-35 stealth fighter jet among a 33-plane fleet, which will be delivered to Israel from the United States.

Avigdor Lieberman, alongside Israeli Air Force Chief of Staff Brigadier General Tal Kelman, plus other US and Israeli military officials, were at the ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas, to showcase Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II fighter jet—which will be known in Israel as Adir (“awesome” in Hebrew).

The first F-35 jets are currently being tested in Arizona and Utah, prior to their deployment in the US Armed Forces. Israel is expected to receive delivery of the first two F-35s before the end of the year. By 2021, Israel’s Air Force expects to have two F-35 squadrons and may add a third during the following decade.

At yesterday’s ceremony, Lieberman commented: “The State of Israel is proud to be the first in our region to receive and operate the plane.”

He said that it is evidence of the strength of US-Israel relations. He also added that the F-35 is “the most advanced [fighter jet] in the world, and is the best selection by defence chiefs for safeguarding Israel’s aerial superiority”. Lieberman also said that the addition of F-35s to Israel’s air capability will increase the country’s military deterrence.

Lt. Col. Yotam, whose name has been withheld, will head the first F-35 squadron. He told YNet that “The success of the ‘Adir’ plane will not be demonstrated by attacks in Gaza where everything is predominantly urban, but will be demonstrated by maintaining air superiority on the eastern front,” in an apparent reference to Iran.

The unveiling of the F-35 comes as Israel and the United States continue protracted negotiations over a new military aid package from Washington. Although US officials have pledged that it will be the America’s largest ever single military aid deal to a foreign country, final agreement has yet to be reached.