With the latest delivery of stealth fighters from the United States, the Israeli Air Force continues to strengthen and expand its fleet of F-35I “Adir” aircraft. This was confirmed in an official publication on the force’s social media, announcing the arrival of three new fifth-generation jets manufactured by Lockheed Martin, along with other significant updates regarding Israel’s combat aircraft fleet.
Prior to the delivery of these three aircraft—whose arrival in Israel was reported on March 16, though the actual date may have been earlier—the Israeli Air Force reportedly had a fleet of 39 F-35I stealth fighters, while awaiting the remaining 11 aircraft from Lockheed Martin. It is likely that this new batch of three jets, bringing the total number of Adir aircraft to 42, is part of this pending order.
These three aircraft were received at the Israeli Air Force’s 116th Squadron, also known as the “Lions of the South,” based at Nevatim Airbase, located 15 km east-southeast of Beersheba.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources have speculated about some features of this new batch of Israeli F-35s, suggesting that they may already be equipped with elements of the TR-3 software upgrade—an essential step toward the broader modernization of Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation jet, known as Block IV.
As previously reported last year, following significant delays—including a temporary suspension of deliveries by the Pentagon—the U.S. Department of Defense and Armed Forces decided to resume the delivery schedule of new F-35s equipped with a limited version of the TR-3 update. Although work and testing are ongoing, this decision allows pilots to begin training with the new upgrade, which is not yet fully operational for combat deployment.
For the Israeli Air Force, this is a crucial development as it moves forward with plans to establish a new squadron of F-35I stealth fighters. To this end, in early June, the Israeli government confirmed the signing of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the acquisition of 25 additional Lightning II jets, in a deal worth $3 billion.
With deliveries of this batch scheduled for 2028, it is expected that these new F-35I fighters will be factory-equipped with the TR-3 upgrade and potentially some components of the Block IV modernization. Once deliveries are complete, the Israeli Air Force will operate a fleet of 75 stealth aircraft.
Finally, as part of the announcement made on March 16, the Air Force also highlighted certain upgrades to its Adir fighters aimed at enhancing their air-to-ground combat capabilities. Specifically, thanks to collaboration with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force Test Center, the F-35Is have been fitted with new external pylons, enabling them to carry up to four GBU-31 JDAM bombs externally.
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