Isreali Preliminary Steps for F-35 Buy

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Israel orders initial squadron of stealth F-35s
Israel moved a step closer to receiving its first stealth fighter jets this week after the Israel Air Force submitted an official Letter of Request to the Pentagon to purchase its first squadron of 25 advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets. Also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the F-35 is made by Lockheed Martin and will enable Israel to phase out some of its older F-15 and F-16 models. Israeli defense officials said that while the request letter was submitted this week, negotiations regarding the final price of the plane - estimated at around $100 million - as well as the integration of Israeli systems would continue. The first aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Israel in 2014. In a later stage, the IAF plans to purchase an additional 50 aircraft, some of them with vertical take-off and landing capabilities. According to senior IDF officers, the Defense Ministry and the Pentagon have reached understandings on most of the major issues that have been in disagreement between the sides. These include the integration of Israeli-made electronic warfare and communications systems into the plane, and where maintenance and repairs will take place.