Lockheed Martin has delivered 3 F-35 fighter jets to the Israeli Air Force. The fighters have landed in Nevatim AFB.
The State of Israel was the first in the world to choose the F-35 as part of a Foreign military sale (FMS) with the US administration. This, when it signed the LOA (Letter of Agreement) agreement in October 2010.
The Israeli Air Force announced operational capability for the F-35 aircraft in December 2017, thus marking the completion of the comprehensive processes for training, coaching and assimilating the aircraft and their crews at the Nevatim Air Force Base. Since then, the aircraft has been in full operational service and the current procurement process will continue in the coming years until the completion of all the aircraft purchased.
As of early March, 770 F-35s worldwide had accumulated 490,000 cumulative flight hours.
The F-35A is priced at $ 77.9 million.
The F-35s operate from 34 bases and aircraft carriers in nine countries around the world.
Over 1,585 pilots and 11,860 maintenance personnel have been trained so far.
Twelve operators have declared the initial operational (IOC) of the aircraft; Six of them announced activation in combat-operational activity.
Main photo: departures of the fighters from the U.S. Credit : Lockheed Martin.
