The Pentagon reportedly agreed to allow the Israelis to make modifications to their F-35 strike fighters, including integration of an indigenously enhanced electronic warfare suite and Israeli-specific electronics, reports Reuters. The Pentagon’s F-35 program office “is working closely with Israel and Lockheed Martin on a package of enhancements” for the Israeli airplanes, confirmed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta during a joint press briefing with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Aug. 1 in Ashkelon, Israel. Panetta, on an official visit to Israel, added, “This will ensure Israel’s unquestioned air superiority for years to come.” The enhancement package has a value of some $450 million, according to Reuters’ July 26 report. Israel signed an agreement in October 2010 to acquire up to 20 F-35s under a foreign military sales arrangement with a potential total value of $2.75 billion. Congress approved selling the Israelis as many as 75 of the stealth fighters. (Panetta-Barak transcript)
The F-47 fighter will be run differently than previous fighter programs and share the same mission systems architecture as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin told the Senate Armed Services Committee. That means advances in one will fuel advances in the other.