More F-35Is land in Israel
Three more F-35Is landed on 25 April at Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel. (Photo: IDF)
Almost half of the 50 F-35s ordered by Israel have been delivered.
The IDF on 26 April confirmed the delivery of three more F-35A aircraft to the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
The aircraft (designated F-35I Adir in IAF service) landed on 25 April at Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel. They will be flown by 116 Squadron IAF.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, this brings to 23 the number of F-35Is delivered to the IAF out of 50 ordered.
Meanwhile, Israeli newspaper Walla reported on 20 April that the IAF Flight Testing Center at Tel-Nof is developing external drop tanks to facilitate long-range F-35I missions to so-called ‘third circle’ countries as Iran.
External tanks remove the need for aerial refuelling, and they would also allow the F-35I to spend more time over its target.
However, they must be designed in such a way as not to degrade the stealth characteristics of the aircraft.
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