It took a number of years, but the 102 F16i fighter jets ordered from the United States by the IDF in 1999 was completed last week as the last four planes touched down in Israel.

The planes were manufactured by Lockheed Martin, labeled “The Storm (Sufah)” in Israel, permitting the air force to reach longer range targets than in the past. The aircraft were assembled in compliance to the specifications of the Israel Air Force, with the first ones arriving in 2004. With the arrival of the last planes last week, it marked the completion of the largest Israel Air Force acquisition ever.

Negotiations are still underway today towards Israel’s acquisition of the state-of-the-art F35 stealth fighters, considered the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)