JERUSALEM, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the purchase of 20 F-35 fighter jets by the air force from the United States in an estimated $2.75 billion deal.
Barak's approval Sunday paves the way for Israel to purchase of the jets in the first stage of a deal that includes simulators, spare parts and routine maintenance costs, local media said.
The agreement will be submitted to the Cabinet for final approval in the coming weeks, Israel's Channel Two said Sunday.
The planes are capable of evading radar and anti-missile systems, the television report said.
The defense minister said the acquisition will provide the Israeli Air Force with improved capabilities that will boost Israel's security and guarantee its air superiority. UPI
