Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Procurement formally approved the acquisition of two new combat squadrons on Sunday, May 3, 2026 — a fourth squadron of Lockheed Martin’s F-35I “Adir” and a second squadron of Boeing’s F-15IA — in a deal valued at tens of billions of new Israeli shekels, CNBC reported. The decision arrives in the immediate aftermath of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, which itself followed the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that commenced on February 28, 2026 (something that has led to the destruction of many Iranian aircraft and the downing of USAF’s A-10 and F-15E) — and it positions Jerusalem among the world’s most consequential operators of both the fifth-generation F-35 and Boeing’s latest F-15 variant.
According to YTnet Global, the procurement constitutes the inaugural phase of “Magen Israel” — Hebrew for “Shield of Israel” — a force-building programme approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz under a dedicated budget of 350 billion shekels (approximately $119 billion). Each squadron amounts to roughly 25 new warframes, meaning the deal would ultimately deliver 50 new combat aircraft to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), pushing Israel’s F-35I fleet toward 100 aircraft and its F-15IA roster toward 50 — numbers that would rank Israel among the largest operators of both platforms outside the United States.
Israel’s Landmark Defence Approves Two New Combat Squadrons
The deal was brought before the committee by Defence Minister Katz and Defence Ministry Director General Major General (Res.) Amir Baram as part of a broader strategy to bolster IAF readiness ahead of what officials describe as a “demanding decade” for Israeli security. The ministry’s statement quoted in The Jerusalem Post confirmed that the procurement includes:
- full fleet integration into the IAF
- comprehensive sustainment packages
- spare parts
- logistics support — not merely the aircraft themselves.
Baram instructed the ministry’s mission to the United States to move forward immediately with finalising contracts with American government and military counterparts.
As quoted by Reuters, Baram said:
“Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, we have a responsibility to act now to secure the IDF’s military edge ten years from now and beyond.”
He further noted that Operation Roaring Lion “reinforced just how critical the U.S.-Israel strategic relationship is, and how essential advanced air power remains.” The complementary strike and stealth profiles of the two aircraft types, he argued, would provide the IAF with the operational flexibility to prosecute a broad spectrum of combat scenarios simultaneously.
Netanyahu And Katz’s Justification of the Purchase
Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a statement quoted by Breaking Defense, was unambiguous in framing the acquisition as a direct outgrowth of the Iran campaign. “We are acquiring two squadrons of advanced aircraft — the F-35 and the F-15IA,” he said:
“These aircraft bolster Israel’s overwhelming air superiority, a superiority that was proven in Operation Rising Lion and now in Operation Roaring Lion.”
The prime minister added that Israeli pilots can reach “any point in the skies of Iran” and stand prepared to do so if required.
Defence Minister Katz was equally pointed in his assessment of the strategic rationale. “Operation Roaring Lion once again demonstrated the Israeli Air Force’s power and its decisive role in protecting Israel,” he stated, adding that the lessons of that campaign “require us to keep pressing forward on force buildup, to ensure air superiority for decades to come.”
Katz also signalled that the new airframes would catalyse a technological leap in autonomous flight capabilities, next-generation defence integration, and the establishment of Israeli military dominance in space — domains the ministry views as the next frontier of aerial warfare.
The F-35I “Adir”‘s Fourth Squadron In 2026
Israel signed onto the F-35 programme in 2010 as the first international customer to do so through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process, and received its first two aircraft in December 2016. The IAF christened the jet the “Adir” — Hebrew for “Mighty One” — and in May 2018, Air Force commander Major General Amikam Norkin announced that Israel had become the first country in the world to use the F-35 operationally in combat.
By early 2025, the platform had accumulated over 15,000 flight hours across multiple theatres, from Iran and Yemen to Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.
A second F-35 squadron opened in 2020 as deliveries accelerated, and in June 2024, Israel signed a $3 billion Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government for a third squadron of 25 aircraft, funded by U.S. Foreign Military Financing — raising the committed fleet to 75 F-35Is, with deliveries of the third tranche slated to begin in 2028.
All in All
A recurring misconception in defense commentary frames the F-35 and the F-15 as competing platforms vying for the same mission profile. Within the IAF’s operational doctrine, the two types are deliberately complementary.
The F-35I, with its low observable profile and sensor fusion capability, functions as the penetrating first-entry aircraft — suppressing enemy integrated air defense systems and opening corridors through which less stealthy platforms can then operate. The F-15IA, with its cavernous payload capacity and extended combat radius, then delivers the bulk of precision munitions against the target set that the F-35 has exposed. Let’s compare the specifications of the two aircraft:
| Category | F-35I Adir | F-15IA |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Stealth multirole fighter | Heavy strike / air superiority |
| Crew | 1 | 2 |
| Length | ~15.7 m | ~19.4 m |
| Wingspan | ~10.7 m | ~13.05 m |
| Max Takeoff Weight | ~31,800 kg | ~36,700 kg |
| Max Speed | Mach 1.6 | Mach 2.5 |
| Combat Radius | ~1,090 km | ~1,200–1,300+ km |
| Range | ~2,200 km | ~3,900 km (with tanks) |
| Service Ceiling | ~50,000+ ft | ~60,000 ft |
| Engines | 1 × F135 | 2 × F100/F110 |
| Payload Capacity | ~8,100 kg | ~13,000 kg |
| Radar | AN/APG-81 AESA | Advanced AESA (APG-82 class) |
| Key Strength | Stealth, sensor fusion, networking | Payload, range, speed |
| Survivability | Very high (low observability) | High (speed + EW systems) |
| Mission Profile | Penetration, ISR, precision strike | Deep strike, heavy weapons load |
