Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz made the announcement after meeting US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
After meeting US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz announced on Friday that the crisis that had kept Israel out of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program had been resolved.
Mofaz said clear agreement had been reached for Israel’s participation in the program as a valued and important partner. He added that the US had promised that Israel could buy F-35s when development is completed. Israel wants to buy 100 F-35s, which will be delivered during the 2010s.
The resumption of Israel’s participation in the F-35 program will be immediate. The US will not wait for Israeli legislation on reorganization and tightening supervision of defense exports, in accordance with a recently signed memorandum of understanding between the two countries.
Mofaz did not raise with Rumsfeld the US administration’s ban on Israel’s upgrade of Venezuela Air Force F-16s. Israel believes that this matter should be discussed at a lower level. Israeli defense sources said talks on this matter were continuing. “We understand the Americans’ concern, and we expect that the US will understand ours,” said a source.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on November 6, 2005