Indigenous Systems for Israeli F-35s Approved

摘要

Israel has successfully gained US approval to install some of its own systems in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, clearing the way for the purchase of the aircraft for the Israeli Air and Space Force. Integration of local-produced weapons and systems has been a major block to the Israel's purchase of the aircraft (see Obstacles to Israeli F-35 Buy, March, p23). The systems involved include the carriage of Israeli manufactured munitions, cockpit interfaces to allow the aircraft to be integrated in the air force's command, control, communications, computer and intelligence systems, and the capability of using a 600 gal external drop tank to increase the range of the fighter-bomber.