Israel will seek to purchase new weapons systems from US as compensation for Saudi F-35 sale
A source told Walla that the IDF would prefer that no other country in the Middle East receive the stealth fighter, in order to preserve Israel's qualitative operational advantage.
The United States has informed Israel's Prime Minister's Office that it plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a $25 billion deal, according to an Israeli official. Israel is likely to seek compensation from the US in the form of weapons systems that Washington has so far declined to sell to Tel Aviv, Walla reported.
Sources familiar with the details told Walla that Israel hopes no other Middle Eastern country will receive the stealth fighter to maintain its qualitative operational advantage. However, it is noted that even if the deal is finalized, Saudi Arabia will not receive its first aircraft for another five years.
Israeli officials are already preparing to negotiate with the US administration differently regarding future procurement deals following the Saudi-US agreement and the broader arms race in the Middle East. Israel's strategy goes beyond advanced fighter jets and the next generation of stealth aircraft, encompassing the development of space-based weapons, participation in the production of interceptors for the Arrow 4 and Arrow 5 systems, and advanced munitions like bunker-busting weapons and autonomous strike systems.
Israel is currently facing difficulties in financing a third F-15 squadron and additional F-35 squadrons.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
