The Defense Ministry announced Sunday that the ministerial committee on procurement approved over the weekend its plan to purchase two new fighter squadrons: a fourth squadron of F-35 “Adir” jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and a second squadron of F-15IA jets manufactured by Boeing. The deals are estimated at tens of billions of shekels and will include absorption of the squadrons, support, spare parts, and logistics.
This marks the first step in implementing the IDF’s force buildup plan for the next decade, approved by the prime minister and defense minister, with a dedicated budget of ₪350 billion. The new squadrons will be a significant component in strengthening the IDF’s power for decades to come and will enable Israel to maintain its strategic air superiority in the region against emerging threats.
Defense Minister Israel Katz welcomed the decision, saying: “The operational lessons from the campaign against Iran require us to continue and accelerate the force buildup. The squadron procurement is a central part of the ‘Shield of Israel’ plan designed to ensure the IDF maintains a continuous qualitative edge. Our mission is clear: to ensure the IDF has the tools, capabilities, and power to operate at any time and in any arena. We will continue to invest, grow stronger, and stay ahead of our enemies.”
Defense Ministry Director General Major General (ret.) Amir Baram added: “Approval of the fighter squadron procurement is a first and central step in implementing the ₪350 billion plan for force buildup for an intense security decade. The combination of the different capabilities of the two squadrons will provide the Air Force with full flexibility to deal with diverse combat scenarios. The Defense Ministry will continue to lead procurement processes responsibly and with a long-term vision.”