Israel has agreed to buy 12 Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing Co (BA.N) KC-46 refuelling planes from the United States, according to the Israeli Defense Ministry. The overall cost is estimated to be around $3.1 billion.
According to a ministry statement, the contract is part of an upgrade of Israel’s air force capabilities and includes an option to buy six additional helicopters.
The first helicopters are expected to arrive in Israel in 2026, according to the report. On Thursday, Brigadier-General Shimon Tsentsiper, the air force’s commander of materiel, informed Israel’s Army Radio that the refuelling planes on order would not arrive until 2025.
He claimed that Israel was attempting to speed up the delivery of the KC-46s, and that they finally wanted four of them.
The refuelling planes, according to Israeli media, might be critical in carrying out a long-promised air strike on Iran’s nuclear installations. According to Tsentsiper, the air force’s present refuelling capabilities are adequate for its objectives.
(The value of the deal in the headline and first paragraph has been updated to $3.1 billion from $2 billion.)