DW
The Israeli Defense Ministry said it would buy 12 Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky helicopters and two Boeing refueling planes.
Israel has signed a deal with the United States to buy 12 Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky CH-53K helicopters and two Boeing KC-46 refueling planes, the Israeli Defence Ministry said on Friday.
The ministry said the deal is worth around $3.1 billion (€2.73 billion), adding that the procurement is “part of a wider program to strengthen the capabilities of the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] and preparedness to face current and developing threats.”
The deal, signed on Thursday, includes an option to buy six additional helicopters, the ministry statement said. It said the first helicopters were due to arrive in Israel in 2026.
An Israeli government committee gave the approval for the purchase last month after the Biden administration also waved it through in July…
