With the recent arrival of three new aircraft at Nevatim Air Base, which will go on to operate with Squadron 116 “Lions of the South” and Squadron 140 “Golden Eagle,” the Israeli Air Force has reportedly reached a total of 48 new F-35I Adir stealth fighters delivered by the U.S. company Lockheed Martin. Specifically, these are aircraft with identification numbers 978, 979, and 983, which form part of the first batch of 50 aircraft ordered by the country to reinforce and modernize its combat fleets.
Quoting some of the official statements issued by the service regarding this milestone: “Since the outbreak of the war, the Adir system has been operating continuously in a variety of defense and attack missions across all theaters of operation. The integration of the new aircraft represents another step in strengthening the Adir system and contributes to the operational capabilities of the Air Force.” In the same statement published on social media, the service also highlighted the great importance of the military alliance with the United States, presenting this as another demonstration of the shared bond between both nations at a time of tensions between Washington and its European allies.
Expanding on details surrounding the arrival of the new aircraft, local analysts also point out that this step is not a response to the ever-present tensions with Iran, but rather part of the effort to complete the aforementioned initial order of 50 F-35I fighters. In this way, the country will be able to begin planning for the arrival of another 25 additional stealth fighters that were already purchased from Lockheed Martin in 2024 in exchange for an investment of around USD 3 billion, with deliveries expected to begin from 2028 onward.
As we have reported previously, these aircraft are already configured with the TR-3 software upgrade, which constitutes the step prior to the so-called Block IV, the next major upgrade planned for the F-35. In addition, as indicated by the Israeli Air Force itself, the design has already undergone work to further consolidate its ground-attack capabilities thanks to cooperation with the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center and the aforementioned manufacturer. In this way, each fighter could incorporate new underwing pylons that will allow it to carry up to four GBU-31 JDAM bombs externally.
Finally, it should be noted that the arrival of these three new F-35s represents the first officially recorded delivery since March of last year, when three other aircraft arrived in the country. As has occurred on recent occasions, the aircraft were received at Nevatim Air Base, located some 15 kilometers from the city of Beersheba, and were integrated into the structure of Squadron 116.
Image credits: @idfonline on X
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